LaTonia Taliaferro-Smith

Associate Teaching Professor of Biology; Director of Undergraduate Laboratories; Faculty Coordinator for Summer Programs

Contact

770.784.8607

Dr. LaTonia Taliaferro-Smith is the Director of Undergraduate Laboratories, Faculty Coordinator for Summer Programs, and an Associate Teaching Professor in Biology at Oxford College of Emory University. She received a B.S. in Biology (with Highest Honors) from Dillard University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Howard University. Following graduate school, Dr. Taliaferro-Smith completed two postdoctoral fellowships before being appointed as a junior faculty member at the Emory University School of Medicine and as a member of the Winship Cancer Institute.

Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that regulate the metastatic behavior of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), a particularly aggressive disease with disproportionately high incidences and poor survival outcomes, especially among African-American and Hispanic women. Since joining the Oxford College of Emory University faculty in 2015, Dr. Taliaferro-Smith has developed and taught a diverse range of courses, including BIO-340E (Independent Research and Discovery in Biology), which she designed to provide early undergraduate research experiences. She also teaches BIO-399RE (Independent Research) and BIO-397R (Supervised Reading), offering opportunities for advanced biological study and research projects.

Her innovative teaching extends to interdisciplinary courses such as the first-year Discovery Seminars, "The History of Cancer" and "Biomimicry and Bio-inspirations," which bridges biology, engineering, and architecture, and and co-taught "Race, Rights, and Recognitions in STEM," a unique side-car course examining sociocultural factors and intersectional identities in scientific research.

As Director of Undergraduate Laboratories, Dr. Taliaferro-Smith manages laboratory preparations for all courses taught in the Biology department and serves as an academic advisor to first- and second-year students. In her role as Faculty Coordinator for Summer Programs, she is working to develop pre-college summer academic programming at Oxford. She remains deeply passionate about teaching, training, and mentoring the next generation of science scholars.

Dr. Taliaferro-Smith's excellence in teaching and mentoring has been widely recognized. She is a 2024 NSF Inclusive STEM Teaching Project Community Facilitator and was nominated for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring Program in 2023. Her numerous accolades include the 2022 Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, the Gregory-Rackley Faculty Career Development Award, and the Robert Cotter Mizzell and Louise Felker Mizell Teaching Award. She was also honored with the Bloom Inaugural Black Women Excellence Award from Emory University, reflecting her outstanding contributions to both teaching and mentorship.

Education

BS| Dillard University| 1999

Ph.D.| Howard University| 2004

Courses Taught

BIO_340E (Independent Research and Discovery in Biology)
BIO_399R (Independent Research)
BIO_397R (Supervised Reading)
DSC_101 (Discovery Seminars: Biomimicry and Bioinspirations; The History of Cancer)
IDS_290R (Race, Rights, and Recognition in STEM)

Accomplishments

2024 NSF Inclusive STEM Teaching Project Community Facilitator Participant
2023 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring Program (PAESMEM) Nominee
2022 Gregory-Rackley Faculty Career Development Award, Emory University Oxford College
2022 Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, Emory University
2022 Oxford College Black Girls Processing Space (BGPS) Faculty Mentor Excellence Award
2021 The Bloom Inaugural Black Women Excellence Award, Emory University
2021 Robert Cotter Mizzell and Louise Felker Mizell Teaching Award, Oxford College
2008 NIH-IRACDA (FIRST) Postdoctoral Fellowship
2008 Novartis Oncology Basic Science Scholars Award, 31st Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
2007 Edward Smuckler Memorial Pathobiology of Cancer Workshop Award, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
2004 2^nd Place-Oral Presentation, Howard University Annual Graduate Research Symposium
2003 1st Place-Oral Winner, 14th Annual Graduate Research Day, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Howard University
2003 1st Place-Poster Presentation, Howard University’s 13th Annual Graduate Research Symposium
2001-2002 NIH Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Award
2000 NIH Summer Research Training Award (SRTA) Award
1999-2004 Dean’s List, Howard University
1999-2004 NSF-Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Pre-doctoral Fellow
1999 NSF-Minority Graduate Education (MGE) Summer Research Fellow
1997-1999 Presidential Scholar, Dillard University

Publications

Magazine publications/appearances:

SciOx Research Magazine. Annual publication (published August 2021-present, 4^thedition published Spring 2024)). Oxford College of Emory University (https://scioxmagazine.com/)
Forbes Magazine, Science Engagement Shapes Lives and Changes Perceptions, by Marshall Sheppard, Senior Contributor, March 24, 2024 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2024/03/24/science-engagement-shapes-lives-and-changes-perceptions-too/?sh=6e684a9a15ea)

Peer-reviewed journals

L Taliaferro-Smith, E Oberlick, T Liu, TZ McGlothen, TY Alcaide, R Tobin, et al. (2015) FAK activation is required for IGF1R mediated regulation of EMT, migration, and invasion in mesenchymal triple negative breast cancer cells. Oncotarget, 6(7); 4757-4772 (PMCID4467113)
E Sanabria-Figueroa, S Donnelly; K Foy; M Buss; RC Castellino; E Paplomata; L Taliaferro-Smith; P Kaumaya; R Nahta (2014) Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor signaling increases the invasive potential of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells via Src-FAK and FoxM1. Molecular Pharmacology, 87(2):150-161. (PMID: 25391374)
Smith BN, Burton LJ, Henderson V, Randle DD, Morton DJ, Smith BA, Taliaferro-Smith L, et al. (2014) Snail Promotes Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer Cells in Part via Activation of Nuclear ERK2. PLoS One, 9(8): e104987. (PMID: 25122124)
PN Ganji, TE Long, W Park, JC Landry, L Taliaferro-Smith, AB Farris, R Diaz, BF El-Rayes (2014) Heat Shock Protein 90 Promotes Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition, Invasion, and Migration in Colorectal Cancer. Molecular Pharmacology, 54(10):1147-1158. (PMID: 24861206).
PN Ganji, P Wungki, J Wen, H Mahaseth, J Landry, AB Farris, L Taliaferro-Smith, et al. (2013) Antiangiogenic effects of ganatespib in colorectal cancer mediated through inhibition of HIF1-aplha and STAT-3. Angiogenesis, 16(4):903-917. (PMID:23838996)
L Taliaferro-Smith, A Nagalingam, BB Knight, E Oberlick, NK Saxena, and D Sharma. (2013) Integral Role of PTP1B in Adiponectin-Mediated Inhibition of Oncogenic Actions of Leptin in Breast Carcinogenesis. Neoplasia, 15(1)23-38. (PMID: 23358729)
Tongrui Liu, Rami Yacoub, LaTonia Taliaferro-Smith, Shi-Yong Sun, Tisheeka R. Graham, Ryan Dolan, Mourad Tighiouart, et al. (2011) Combinatorial effects of lapatinib and rapamycin in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 10(8)1460-1469. (PMID:21690228)
Nagaraju GP, Prasad GL, Taliaferro-Smith L, Aruna BV, Naik BR, Sekhar YN. Computational analysis of the structural basis of ligand binding to the crustacean retinoid X receptor. (2010) Comp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics 5(4):317-324. (PMID: 20937572)
Hill, KM., Kalifa, S., Das, J.R.,Bhatti, T., Gay, M., Williams, D., Taliferro-Smith, L. (name misspelled), and De Marzo, A.M. (2010) The Role of PI3-Kinase p110β in AKT Signally, Cell Survival, and Proliferation in Human Prostate Cancer Cells. Prostate, 70(7):755-764. (PMID:20058239)
Tisheeka R. Graham, Rami Yacoub, LaTonia Taliaferro-Smith, Adeboye O. Osunkoya, Valerie A. Odero-Marah, Tongrui Liu, et al. (2009) Reciprocal Regulation of ZEB1 and AR in Triple Negative 1 Breast Cancer Cells. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 123(1):139-147. (PMID: 19921427)
Taliaferro-Smith, L, Nagalingam, A., Zhong, D., Zhou, W., Saxena, N.K., and Sharma, D. (2009) LKB1 is required for adiponectin-mediated modulation of AMPK-S6K axis and inhibition of migration and invasion in breast cancer cells. Oncogene, 28(29):2621-2633. (PMID: 19483724)
Saxena, N. K., Taliaferro-Smith, L., Knight, B. B., Merlin, D., Anania, F. A., O'Regan, R. M., and Sharma, D. (2008) Bidirectional crosstalk between leptin and insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling promotes invasion and migration of breast cancer cells via transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptor. Cancer Research, 68(23): 9712-9722. (PMID: 19047189)
C Bonilla, R K Panguluri, L Taliaferro-Smith, G Argyropoulos, G Chen, A A Adeyemo, et al. (2006) Agouti-related protein promoter variant associated with leanness and decreased risk for diabetes in West Africans. International Journal of Obesity, 30: 715-721. (PMID:16130030)
Friedberg, F. and Taliaferro, L. (2005) Calmodulin genes in zebrafish (revisited). Molecular Biology Reports, 32:55-60. (PMID: 15865211)
Leach FS, Koh M, Sharma K, McWilliams G, Talifero-Smith L (named misspelled), et al. (2002) Mismatch repair gene mutations in renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Biology and Therapy, 1(5):530-536. (PMID: 12496483)

Book chapter authored:

Colbert, L.S. and Taliaferro-Smith, L.T. (2013). Tumor Angiogenesis Regulators in Breast Cancer: Does Race Matter?” in Ruben R. Gonzalez-Perez and Bo R. Rueda (Ed.), Tumor Angiogenesis Regulators, (pp. 387-410). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Presentations

LaTonia Taliaferro-Smith, Victoria Cespedes, Quin Goodman. “The Oxford Whale Jawbone.” Emory University Parent Leadership Conference; Emory University; March 17, 2023.

LaTonia Taliaferro-Smith. “The Oxford College Whale Jawbone.” Board of Counselors, Oxford College of Emory University; September 16, 2022.

Leigh Elion, Gwendolynne Reid, and LaTonia Taliaferro-Smith. “Student learning: Writing assignments, presentations, projects, and ePortfolios.” Oxford College Online Teaching (OCOT). Oxford, GA; June 16, 2020.

Nitya Jacob, LaTonia Taliaferro-Smith, Effrosyni Seitaridou, and Sarah C. Fankhauser. “Integrating Undergraduate Research at various levels within the STEM curriculum.” Conference for Undergraduate Research (CUR) Biennial Conference. Tampa, FL; June 2016.

Howard University Graduate School Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 25th Year Celebration of Graduate Research Day Symposium, Keynote Speaker; “Identifying Alternative Therapeutic Targets for Treating Triple Negative Breast Cancer.” Washington, DC; April 14, 2014

Jean Sindab Triple Negative Research Symposium, Guest Speaker; “IGF1R Signaling in Triple Negative Breast Cancer”; Buckhead Marriott, Atlanta, GA; May 12, 2012.

Grady Hospital Avon Foundation Comprehensive Breast Cancer Community Education and Outreach Initiative (CEOI) 2012 Patient Navigator Training, Opening Plenary Speaker; “Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Breast Cancer”; Emory University School of Medicine, February 18, 2012.

Clark Atlanta University Department of Biology Seminar Series, Guest Speaker; “Triple Negative Breast Cancers: A Critical Need for Alternative Therapeutic Targets”; Clark Atlanta University, February 3, 2012.

Spelman College MBRS-RISE Seminar Series, Guest Speaker; “Triple-Negative Breast Cancers: A Critical Need for Alternative Therapeutic Targets”; Spelman College, November 17, 2011.

Office of Clinical Research ‘Research Matters Educational Seminar, Keynote Speaker; “Triple Negative Breast Cancers: Potential Therapeutic Targets”; Emory University Hospital Auditorium, October 27, 2011.

Winship Cancer Institute 2011 Community Town Hall, Keynote Speaker; “Triple Negative Breast Cancer: What You Need to Know”; Emory University Hospital Midtown, June 23, 2011.

Winship Cancer Institute Joint Lecture Series, Cancer Cell Biology Program, Guest Speaker; “Targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1R) in triple negative breast cancer”; Emory University; May 5, 2011

Howard University Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 18th Annual Graduate Research Symposium, Keynote Speaker. “Role of c-kit receptor and stem cell factor ligand in prostate cancer proliferation and apoptosis.” Washington, D.C., May 5, 2007.

Research Interests

Triple-negative breast cancer