I direct the Social Determinants and Health Disparities Lab at the University of Houston. My research program focuses on better understanding the social determinants of health and health risk behaviors - and the specific biopsychosocial mechanisms that account for disparities in health risk behaviors and health outcomes - with an emphasis on generating highly translational results that can be used to inform policy and intervention. Much of my work is focused on addressing health disparities related to tobacco use, alone or comorbid with other substance dependence and health risk behaviors, among low socioeconomic status (SES) groups.