Kristina Talbert-Slagle, PhD
Assistant ProfessorCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Associate Director of Faculty Mentorship and Academic Programs, Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Associate Director of Faculty Mentorship and Academic Programs, Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Associate Director of Faculty Mentorship and Academic Programs, Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
About
Titles
Assistant Professor
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Associate Director of Faculty Mentorship and Academic Programs, Yale Institute for Global Health
Biography
Dr. Talbert-Slagle is an Assistant Professor of General Internal Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, a Core Faculty member at the Equity Research and Innovation Center, and Director of the Faculty Support Initiative at the Yale Institute for Global Health. She is a global health scholar and educator, focused on addressing global health and educational disparities through high-quality, interactive teaching and locally-appropriate and responsive scholarship and field programs. With doctoral training in genetics and virology and postdoctoral training in complex systems and global health management and health systems strengthening, Dr. Talbert-Slagle approaches her work, teaching, and mentorship through an interdisciplinary perspective.
Dr. Talbert-Slagle is part of a long-standing, trusting partnership with colleagues from the University of Liberia and Liberian Ministry of Health to establish permanent academic programs and systems to fulfill Liberia's goals for strengthening its health workforce. She is the principal investigator for Applying Research for a Healthy Liberia, a five-year, $15 million collaborative project with the University of Liberia and Vanderbilt University, funded by USAID, which has established a Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation, as well as permanent academic and financial management systems at the University of Liberia College of Health Sciences. She has also served as the faculty director for Health Management and Preclinical Education workforce capacity-building programs in Liberia, collaborating closely with colleagues at Yale and in Liberia, and the Yale lead for an undergraduate medical education curriculum review at Liberia’s only medical school, A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine.
At Yale, she has developed and taught a variety of courses including a gateway global health course for undergraduate students, as well as seminars focused on global health research and practice, HIV/AIDS, and the role of water in infectious disease spread. In 2016, Dr. Talbert-Slagle was honored with the Yale Poorvu Family Award for Interdisciplinary Teaching. Dr. Talbert-Slagle received her B.S. and B.A. degrees from the University of Kentucky and her Ph.D. from Yale University.
Appointments
General Internal Medicine
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Global Health Postdoctoral Fellow
- Yale University (2012)
- PhD
- Yale School of Public Health (2010)
- BS
- University of Kentucky, Agricultural Biotechnology (2001)
- BA
- University of Kentucky, Russian and Eastern Studies (2001)
Research
Overview
My scholarly work is interdisciplinary, and reflects my own path through genetics, virology, immunology, global health, and health systems strengthening. Throughout my doctoral training in basic biological sciences (especially genetics and virology) with my postdoctoral training in mathematical modeling, health policy, and global health. I have focused examining the interplay between social systems and infectious disease. My research trajectory began in the basic sciences, with dissertation research examining how a tiny, unique protein could independently alter the growth behavior of certain cells. As a postdoctoral fellow, I analyzed parallels between infection dynamics among a population of cells inside the body and in a population of people in the world. My ongoing interest in the parallels and interdependencies of molecular and social systems eventually became an interest in the interplay between health systems and the emergence of infectious diseases.
Because I worked with an outstanding global health team at Yale, I had the opportunity to participate in Liberia's efforts to rebuild its health workforce post-Ebola, which brought together my understanding of virology and basic sciences with my interest in how social systems, including health systems, impact health and disease.
Since 2015, I have worked closely with Dr. Bernice Dahn, former Minister of Health of Liberia and current Vice President for Health Sciences at the University of Liberia, and many other academic and health leaders in Liberia, to help rebuild Liberia's health workforce post-Ebola. Our team's efforts have included a longstanding focus on understanding needs, challenges, and priorities in Liberia, and developing strategies to meet those priorities through capacity-building activities such as educational programs, curriculum review, professional development mentorship, and strengthening institutional systems.
My main focus in all of my work is to follow the lead of our partners in Liberia, and to invert the power relationships so often seen in traditional global health partnerships. We thus try to develop our research projects and questions in collaboration with our whole team, with a focus on learning how best to meet the needs of Liberia's health workforce, how best to address challenges in resource-constrained settings, and how to maintain a partnership that is meaningfully aware of power and resource differentials and that remains focused on collaborative problem-solving and fulfilling the goals of partners in Liberia.
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Asghar Rastegar, MD
Daniel DiMaio, MD, PhD
Jeffrey Townsend, PhD
Leslie Curry, PhD, MPH
Rachel Galvao, MD
Global Health
Publications
2024
Exploring equity in global health collaborations: a qualitative study of donor and recipient power dynamics in Liberia
Cakouros B, Gum J, Levine D, Lewis J, Wright A, Dahn B, Talbert-Slagle K. Exploring equity in global health collaborations: a qualitative study of donor and recipient power dynamics in Liberia. BMJ Global Health 2024, 9: e014399. PMID: 38485141, PMCID: PMC10946382, DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014399.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsGlobal health collaborationsHealth collaborationLow-resource settingsThematic analysisPriority settingQualitative studyImplementing partnersEquitable partnershipsInformant interviewsDecision makingGlobal health donorsPower structuresLived experiencePatterns of accountabilityImplementation planNon-governmental organisationsHigh resourcesFinancial controlPower differentialsQualitative analysisForeign donorsEquitable decision makingEquitable collaborationExternal aidsIntentional efforts
2023
Transforming medical education in Liberia through an international community of inquiry
Talbert-Slagle K, Ajami I, Currey B, Galvao R, Hadush J, Li S, Flowers J, Ziah M, Amuh D, Rabb M, Ilesanmi O, Allen N, Martin M, Miller M, Yaman A, Nuthulaganti T, Plyler C, Kumeh O, Sieka J, Ogbuagu O, Marsh R, Rastegar A, Sherman L, Adams Z, Benson A, Dahn B. Transforming medical education in Liberia through an international community of inquiry. PLOS Global Public Health 2023, 3: e0001610. PMID: 36963025, PMCID: PMC10021565, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001610.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsCommunity of inquiryOnly medical schoolMedical educationPhysician workforceUndergraduate medical educationEvidence-informed practiceU.S. academic institutionsInquiry approachMedical schoolsMutual learning processGlobal health partnershipsEducationAcademic institutionsBuilding capacityInquirySchoolsOrganizational transformationFacultyInstitutional affiliationHealth partnershipsPartnershipMethod assessmentSector stakeholdersNon-governmental organizationsStrategic planning
2022
Using an Evidence-based Framework to Guide the Implementation of Syringe Services Programs in Jackson, Mississippi
Eger W, Talbert-Slagle K, Allen H. Using an Evidence-based Framework to Guide the Implementation of Syringe Services Programs in Jackson, Mississippi. HPHR Journal 2022 DOI: 10.54111/0001/ww3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSyringe services programBlood-borne infectionsInjection drug useHuman immunodeficiency virusDrug useHigh HIV infection ratesHIV infection ratesEvidence-based interventionsPublic health expertsPopulation of peopleDepartment of HealthViral hepatitisHIV infectionImmunodeficiency virusOpioid epidemicEvidence-based commentaryInfection rateDrug paraphernaliaConsolidated FrameworkInfectious diseasesDisease controlEvidence-based frameworkInfectionHealth expertsImplementation research
2014
Cellular Superspreaders: An Epidemiological Perspective on HIV Infection inside the Body
Talbert-Slagle K, Atkins KE, Yan KK, Khurana E, Gerstein M, Bradley EH, Berg D, Galvani AP, Townsend JP. Cellular Superspreaders: An Epidemiological Perspective on HIV Infection inside the Body. PLOS Pathogens 2014, 10: e1004092. PMID: 24811311, PMCID: PMC4014458, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004092.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsAltmetricSmall transmembrane protein inhibitors of the platelet‐derived growth factor β receptor (LB215)
Petti L, Talbert‐Slagle K, Chacon K, Hochstrasser M, DiMaio D. Small transmembrane protein inhibitors of the platelet‐derived growth factor β receptor (LB215). The FASEB Journal 2014, 28 DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.lb215.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTransmembrane domainTransmembrane proteinPlatelet-derived growth factor β receptorProtein inhibitorGrowth factor receptor signalingSingle conservative amino acid substitutionSmall transmembrane proteinConservative amino acid substitutionsGrowth factor β receptorParticular tyrosine residueReceptor tyrosine kinasesAmino acid substitutionsSequence similarityGrowth factor receptorTraptamersReceptor dimerizationEffects of PDGFSmall proteinsTyrosine residuesExtracellular domainTyrosine kinaseAcid substitutionsReceptor signalingRetroviral libraryPDGFβR
2013
A Single Amino Acid Substitution Converts a Transmembrane Protein Activator of the Platelet-derived Growth Factor β Receptor into an Inhibitor*
Petti LM, Talbert-Slagle K, Hochstrasser ML, DiMaio D. A Single Amino Acid Substitution Converts a Transmembrane Protein Activator of the Platelet-derived Growth Factor β Receptor into an Inhibitor*. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2013, 288: 27273-27286. PMID: 23908351, PMCID: PMC3779723, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.470054.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SubstitutionAnimalsBovine papillomavirus 1CattleCell LineCell Transformation, ViralEnzyme ActivatorsFibroblastsHumansMaleMiceMutation, MissenseOncogene Proteins v-sisOncogene Proteins, ViralPhosphorylationProtein Kinase InhibitorsReceptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor betaSignal TransductionConceptsTransmembrane domainTransmembrane proteinPlatelet-derived growth factor β receptorLimited sequence similarityGrowth factor β receptorParticular tyrosine residueLigand-independent mannerSequence similarityGenetic evidenceGrowth factor receptorE5 proteinOncogenic transformationWild typeProtein activatorViral homologueTyrosine residuesE5 bindsProtein inhibitorPDGFβRV-sisPDGFβ receptorBovine papillomavirusFactor receptorNonidentical sitesCell proliferationInnovation spread: lessons from HIV
Talbert-Slagle K, Berg D, Bradley EH. Innovation spread: lessons from HIV. International Journal For Quality In Health Care 2013, 25: 352-356. PMID: 23696582, PMCID: PMC3723303, DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzt038.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and Concepts
2012
A model for scale up of family health innovations in low-income and middle-income settings: a mixed methods study
Bradley EH, Curry LA, Taylor LA, Pallas SW, Talbert-Slagle K, Yuan C, Fox A, Minhas D, Ciccone DK, Berg D, Pérez-Escamilla R. A model for scale up of family health innovations in low-income and middle-income settings: a mixed methods study. BMJ Open 2012, 2: e000987. PMID: 22923624, PMCID: PMC3432850, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-000987.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2009
Artificial Transmembrane Oncoproteins Smaller than the Bovine Papillomavirus E5 Protein Redefine Sequence Requirements for Activation of the Platelet-Derived Growth Factor β Receptor
Talbert-Slagle K, Marlatt S, Barrera FN, Khurana E, Oates J, Gerstein M, Engelman DM, Dixon AM, DiMaio D. Artificial Transmembrane Oncoproteins Smaller than the Bovine Papillomavirus E5 Protein Redefine Sequence Requirements for Activation of the Platelet-Derived Growth Factor β Receptor. Journal Of Virology 2009, 83: 9773-9785. PMID: 19605488, PMCID: PMC2748040, DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00946-09.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPDGF beta receptorTransmembrane domainBPV E5Transmembrane proteinBovine papillomavirus E5 proteinPlatelet-derived growth factor beta receptorArtificial transmembrane proteinsLigand-independent receptor activationPrimary amino acid sequenceSimilar cellular proteinsSmall artificial proteinsGrowth factor β receptorHomodimeric transmembrane proteinAmino acid sequenceGrowth factor beta receptorConsecutive amino acidsC-terminal cysteineSame cellular targetsNew genetic techniquesBeta receptorsCellular proteinsAcid sequenceE5 proteinGenetic techniquesSequence requirements
2008
The bovine papillomavirus E5 protein and the PDGF β receptor: It takes two to tango
Talbert-Slagle K, DiMaio D. The bovine papillomavirus E5 protein and the PDGF β receptor: It takes two to tango. Virology 2008, 384: 345-351. PMID: 18990418, PMCID: PMC2661243, DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2008.09.033.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsBovine papillomavirus E5 proteinE5 proteinTransmembrane domainTransmembrane proteinTarget proteinsPlatelet-derived growth factor beta receptorArtificial transmembrane proteinsMembrane-spanning segmentsHuman erythropoietin receptorBPV E5 proteinGrowth factor beta receptorCellular receptor tyrosine kinasesLigand-independent activationReceptor tyrosine kinasesGenetic screenPDGF β-receptorNovel proteinTransmembrane sequenceCellular proteinsMitogenic signalingHydrophobic proteinsReceptor dimerizationLarger target proteinsErythropoietin receptorSmall proteins
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
honor Poorvu Family Award for Interdisciplinary Teaching
Yale University AwardDetails11/15/2016United Statesactivity Lessons on Counterinsurgency from the Human Body
Oral PresentationThe Brookings InstitutionDetails12/19/2013 - 12/19/2013Washington, D.C., United StatesAbstract/SynopsisAre there parallels between insurgencies and illness? Or between healthy bodies and healthy nations? Innovative new thinking argues that indeed there are. As understanding in various related disciplines grows, targeted responses are often able to alleviate at least some of the problems. On December 19, two Yale University professors, Stanley McChrystal (retired General, U.S. Army) and Kristina Talbert-Slagle, an associate research scientist at Yale Global Health Leadership Institute, presented their model of counterinsurgency warfare that likens that mission to the way in which the human body fights infectious disease. The presentation was not intended to produce specific recommendations for any particular ongoing or prospective operation abroad, but it did have interesting and potentially significant implications for the future of counterinsurgency warfare and for how the U.S. government prepares for such possible future missions. http://www.brookings.edu/events/2013/12/19-counterinsurgency-mcchrystal
Links & Media
News
- May 08, 2024
Power Imbalance on Global Health Collaborations in Liberia
- July 13, 2023
Department of Internal Medicine Promotions and Appointments (July 2023)
- March 15, 2023
Alumni Spotlight: McKenzie Colt’s post-YSPH work takes her to Liberia
- March 07, 2023
Plan to improve health in Pakistan region devastated by floods earns top honor at Global Health Case Competition