Dr. Hartert’s research focuses on asthma and allergic diseases, which are among the most common chronic diseases of both children and adults. She firmly believes that the long-term solution to the asthma epidemic is primary and secondary disease prevention. Thus, the major scientific programs of the Center for Asthma Research are to identify causal risk factors for asthma, understand their mechanism of action, and develop and test primary and secondary prevention strategies for asthma and allergic diseases. The Center's current areas of focus for primary and secondary prevention include the role of early life respiratory tract infections, dietary factors, the microbiome, and medication exposures and utilization. The Center is comprised of a group of highly collaborative and talented investigators, post-doctoral fellows, nurses, research assistants, and students who share a common goal to improve the health of people worldwide. Dr. Hartert has been continuously funded by NIH research grants since 1999, as well as by an NIH mid-career investigator award that protects her time for research mentoring.