Melody J. Slashinski

Associate Professor of Instruction
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Phone
215-204-7535
Office
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue

Biography

Melody Slashinski is an associate professor of instruction in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in Temple University’s College of Public Health. Prior to this appointment, she was an assistant professor of Community Health Education with the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences from 2014 to 2019. Dr. Slashinski was a postdoctoral fellow with the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine and earned her doctorate from the University of Texas School of Public Health. She is a qualitative methodologist and has more than two decades of experience leading, collaborating with, or consulting on a range of qualitative research projects both national and international.

Dr. Slashinski’s work examines how public/community health is shaped by social institutions and systems, particularly within and among marginalized groups. Applying a critical public health perspective, her primary research areas include children’s mental health services utilization; ethical, social, and cultural issues surrounding genomics and microbiomics; and the prison-industrial complex. She uses collaborative and interdisciplinary research methodologies, including narrative, participatory action, and ethnographic approaches, to expose the disjuncture between lived experience and the ideological apparatuses of power that deny lived experience. Her active projects include exploring how the privatization and professionalization of prison adjacent industries perpetuate the cycle of criminalization and incarceration, especially among women; sexual violence against women by law enforcement; how capitalism shapes human microbial biodiversity, health, and illness; and translating complex genomic data for cancer patients whose primary language is not English.

Education

  • PhD, Public Health, University of Texas
  • MPH, Indiana University
  • BA, English Literature, University of South Carolina
  • BS, Criminology, University of South Carolina

Curriculum Vitae 

Research Interests

  • Critical public health
  • Criminalization and incarceration
  • Social/health justice
  • Health equity
  • Bioethics, genomics and microbiomics
  • Qualitative research methods
  • Community-based participatory research

Courses Taught

Number

Name

Level

SBS 2201

Health Communication

Undergraduate

SBS 2203

AIDS and Society

Undergraduate

SBS 3496

Community-Based Health Program Planning I

Undergraduate

SBS 3596

Community-Based Health Program Planning II

Undergraduate

SBS 4185

Public Health Internship

Undergraduate

SBS 5002

Program Planning, Theory, and Practice

Graduate

Selected Publications

  • Malek, J., Pereira, S., Robinson, J.O., Gutierrez, A.M., Slashinski, M.J., Parsons, D.W., Plon, S.E., & McGuire, A.L. (2019). Responsibility, culpability, and parental views on genomic testing for seriously ill children. Genet Med, 21(12), pp. 2791-2797. United States. doi: 10.1038/s41436-019-0570-6

  • Gutierrez, A.M., Statham, E.E., Robinson, J.O., Slashinski, M.J., Scollon, S., Bergstrom, K.L., Street, R.L., Parsons, D.W., Plon, S.E., & McGuire, A.L. (2019). Agents of empathy: How medical interpreters bridge sociocultural gaps in genomic sequencing disclosures with Spanish-speaking families. Patient Educ Couns, 102(5), pp. 895-901. Ireland. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2018.12.012

  • Lane, W.J., Aguad, M., Smeland-Wagman, R., Vege, S., Mah, H.H., Joseph, A., Blout, C.L., Nguyen, T.T., Lebo, M.S., Sidhu, M., Lomas-Francis, C., Kaufman, R.M., Green, R.C., Westhoff, C.M., & Project, M. (2019). A whole genome approach for discovering the genetic basis of blood group antigens: independent confirmation for P1 and Xga. Transfusion, 59(3), pp. 908-915. United States. doi: 10.1111/trf.15089

  • Lane, W.J., Westhoff, C.M., Gleadall, N.S., Aguad, M., Smeland-Wagman, R., Vege, S., Simmons, D.P., Mah, H.H., Lebo, M.S., Walter, K., Soranzo, N., Angelantonio, E.D.i., Danesh, J., Roberts, D.J., Watkins, N.A., Ouwehand, W.H., Butterworth, A.S., Kaufman, R.M., Rehm, H.L., Silberstein, L.E., Green, R.C., & Project, M. (2018). Automated typing of red blood cell and platelet antigens: a whole-genome sequencing study. Lancet Haematol, 5(6), pp. e241-e251. England. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3026(18)30053-X

  • Gutierrez, A.M., Robinson, J.O., Statham, E.E., Scollon, S., Bergstrom, K.L., Slashinski, M.J., Parsons, D.W., Plon, S.E., McGuire, A.L., & Street, R.L. (2017). Portero versus portador: Spanish interpretation of genomic terminology during whole exome sequencing results disclosure. Per Med, 14(6), pp. 503-514. England. doi: 10.2217/pme-2017-0040

  • Slashinski, M.J. (2017). Mother protection, child survival: narrative perspectives on child mental health services underutilization. Critical Public Health, 27(4), pp. 394-406. doi: 10.1080/09581596.2016.1234708

  • Vassy, J.L., Christensen, K.D., Schonman, E.F., Blout, C.L., Robinson, J.O., Krier, J.B., Diamond, P.M., Lebo, M., Machini, K., Azzariti, D.R., Dukhovny, D., Bates, D.W., MacRae, C.A., Murray, M.F., Rehm, H.L., McGuire, A.L., Green, R.C., & Project, M. (2017). The Impact of Whole-Genome Sequencing on the Primary Care and Outcomes of Healthy Adult Patients: A Pilot Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med, 167(3), pp. 159-169. United States. doi: 10.7326/M17-0188

  • Malek, J., Slashinski, M.J., Robinson, J.O., Gutierrez, A.M., Parsons, D.W., Plon, S.E., McCullough, L.B., & McGuire, A.L. (2017). Parental Perspectives on Whole Exome Sequencing in Pediatric Cancer: A Typology of Perceived Utility. JCO Precis Oncol, 1. United States. doi: 10.1200/PO.17.00010

  • Jamal, L., Robinson, J.O., Christensen, K.D., Blumenthal-Barby, J., Slashinski, M.J., Perry, D.L., Vassy, J.L., Wycliff, J., Green, R.C., & McGuire, A.L. (2017). When bins blur: Patient perspectives on categories of results from clinical whole genome sequencing. AJOB Empir Bioeth, 8(2), pp. 82-88. United States. doi: 10.1080/23294515.2017.1287786

  • McCullough, L.B., Slashinski, M.J., McGuire, A.L., Street, R.L., Eng, C.M., Gibbs, R.A., Parsons, D.W., & Plon, S.E. (2016). Is Whole-Exome Sequencing an Ethically Disruptive Technology? Perspectives of Pediatric Oncologists and Parents of Pediatric Patients With Solid Tumors. Pediatr Blood Cancer, 63(3), pp. 511-515. United States. doi: 10.1002/pbc.25815

  • Christensen, K.D., Vassy, J.L., Jamal, L., Lehmann, L.S., Slashinski, M.J., Perry, D.L., Robinson, J.O., Blumenthal-Barby, J., Feuerman, L.Z., Murray, M.F., Green, R.C., McGuire, A.L., & Team, M.P. (2016). Are physicians prepared for whole genome sequencing? a qualitative analysis. Clin Genet, 89(2), pp. 228-234. Denmark. doi: 10.1111/cge.12626

  • Brothers, K.B., Holm, I.A., Childerhose, J.E., Antommaria, A.H.M., Bernhardt, B.A., Clayton, E.W., Gelb, B.D., Joffe, S., Lynch, J.A., McCormick, J.B., McCullough, L.B., Parsons, D.W., Sundaresan, A.S., Wolf, W.A., Yu, J., Wilfond, B.S., & Consortium, P.W.o.f.t.C.S.E.R.(. (2016). When Participants in Genomic Research Grow Up: Contact and Consent at the Age of Majority. J Pediatr, 168, pp. 226-231.e1. United States. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.09.020

  • Robinson, J.O., Slashinski, M.J., Chiao, E., & McGuire, A.L. (2015). It depends whose data are being shared: considerations for genomic data sharing policies. J Law Biosci, 2(3), pp. 697-704. England. doi: 10.1093/jlb/lsv030

  • Kong, S.W., Lee, I., Leshchiner, I., Krier, J., Kraft, P., Rehm, H.L., Green, R.C., Kohane, I.S., MacRae, C.A., & Project, M. (2015). Summarizing polygenic risks for complex diseases in a clinical whole-genome report. Genet Med, 17(7), pp. 536-544. United States. doi: 10.1038/gim.2014.143

  • Vassy, J.L., Christensen, K.D., Slashinski, M.J., Lautenbach, D.M., Raghavan, S., Robinson, J.O., Blumenthal-Barby, J., Feuerman, L.Z., Lehmann, L.S., Murray, M.F., Green, R.C., & McGuire, A.L. (2015). 'Someday it will be the norm': physician perspectives on the utility of genome sequencing for patient care in the MedSeq Project. Per Med, 12(1), pp. 23-32. England. doi: 10.2217/pme.14.68

  • Vassy, J.L., Lautenbach, D.M., McLaughlin, H.M., Kong, S.W., Christensen, K.D., Krier, J., Kohane, I.S., Feuerman, L.Z., Blumenthal-Barby, J., Roberts, J.S., Lehmann, L.S., Ho, C.Y., Ubel, P.A., MacRae, C.A., Seidman, C.E., Murray, M.F., McGuire, A.L., Rehm, H.L., Green, R.C., & Project, M. (2014). The MedSeq Project: a randomized trial of integrating whole genome sequencing into clinical medicine. Trials, 15, p. 85. England. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-15-85

  • Robinson, J.O., Slashinski, M.J., Wang, T., Hilsenbeck, S.G., & McGuire, A.L. (2013). Participants' recall and understanding of genomic research and large-scale data sharing. J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics, 8(4), pp. 42-52. United States. doi: 10.1525/jer.2013.8.4.42

  • Slashinski, M.J., Whitney, S.N., Achenbaum, L.S., Keitel, W.A., McCurdy, S.A., & McGuire, A.L. (2013). Investigators' perspectives on translating human microbiome research into clinical practice. Public Health Genomics, 16(3), pp. 127-133. Switzerland. doi: 10.1159/000350308

  • Slashinski, M.J., McCurdy, S.A., Achenbaum, L.S., Whitney, S.N., & McGuire, A.L. (2012). "Snake-oil," "quack medicine," and "industrially cultured organisms:" biovalue and the commercialization of human microbiome research. BMC Med Ethics, 13, p. 28. England. doi: 10.1186/1472-6939-13-28

  • McGuire, A.L., Achenbaum, L.S., Whitney, S.N., Slashinski, M.J., Versalovic, J., Keitel, W.A., & McCurdy, S.A. (2012). Perspectives on human microbiome research ethics. J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics, 7(3), pp. 1-14. United States. doi: 10.1525/jer.2012.7.3.1

  • Oliver, J.M., Slashinski, M.J., Wang, T., Kelly, P.A., Hilsenbeck, S.G., & McGuire, A.L. (2012). Balancing the risks and benefits of genomic data sharing: genome research participants' perspectives. Public Health Genomics, 15(2), pp. 106-114. Switzerland. doi: 10.1159/000334718

  • McGuire, A.L., Oliver, J.M., Slashinski, M.J., Graves, J.L., Wang, T., Kelly, P.A., Fisher, W., Lau, C.C., Goss, J., Okcu, M., Treadwell-Deering, D., Goldman, A.M., Noebels, J.L., & Hilsenbeck, S.G. (2011). To share or not to share: a randomized trial of consent for data sharing in genome research. Genet Med, 13(11), pp. 948-955. United States. doi: 10.1097/GIM.0b013e3182227589

  • Slashinski, M.J., Coker, A.L., & Davis, K.E. (2003). Physical aggression, forced sex, and stalking victimization by a dating partner: an analysis of the National Violence Against Women Survey. Violence Vict, 18(6), pp. 595-617. United States. doi: 10.1891/vivi.2003.18.6.595