Broadly her research focuses on behavioral and social responses to maternal and child wellness. For her dissertation, she received a NRSA pre-doctoral fellowship from NIMH to conduct an RCT using a theory-based approach to promote exclusive breastfeeding among women living with HIV in South Africa. Dr. Tuthill is particularly interested in developing sustainable solutions for perinatal women that address the dynamic intersections of mental health, food insecurity, infant feeding and overall health (including disease risk and status) for mothers and their infants, both domestically and globally.