Her research focuses on understanding the programming mechanisms by which prenatal/early-life exposure to physical, social and/or nutritional factors influences childhood respiratory health, autonomic function, and neurodevelopment. She was recently awarded a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Pathway to Independence Award to examine the effects of prenatal air pollution and maternal psychosocial stress exposure on childhood neurobehavioral outcomes; her study utilizes novel mitochondrial DNA biomarkers of oxidative damage to address questions regarding the role of mitochondrial function in the programming of infant neurobehavior.