Dr. Hajat’s current research interests are to understand the social and environmental stressors that disproportionately impact disadvantaged populations and how these stressors impact cardiovascular disease (CVD), a research area that may have implications for understanding the underlying causes of health disparities. She was awarded a NIH K99/R00 Career Development Award to study the intersection of psychosocial stressors and air pollution on CVD. She also conducts research on the psychosocial stressors that impact the stress hormone cortisol. This line of research aims to gain a better understanding of how stress causes disease. In addition she is interested in applying novel epidemiologic methods to her research.