Dr. Concha's research is aimed at understanding the intersection between sociocultural factors, psychological distress, and diabetes risk in marginalized ethnic and racial groups, particularly among Hispanic populations. Her Hispanic background and the substantial burden of type 2 diabetes in this population has driven her interest in investigating the sources of variation in diabetes risk both across social groups and within Hispanic subpopulations (e.g. by nationality, migration history, and geography). Dr. Concha's career goal is to conduct research that informs the development of culturally appropriate health care and diabetes prevention programs for Hispanics. Dr. Concha primarily utilizes mixed-method approaches and includes the integration of biobehavioral health theories and epidemiologic and community health frameworks. Dr. Concha's interdisciplinary research uses rigorous quantitative and qualitative research to investigate three broad objectives: (1) Examine how cultural health beliefs and coping strategies mediate the relationship between psychological distress and diabetes risk over the lifespan; (2) Investigate the interrelationships between cultural beliefs, ethnic identity, psychosocial stressors, biological factors, and social disparities in type 2 diabetes; (3) Inform the development of community programs, services, and policies that reflect an integrative and culturally-informed approach to preventing and managing diabetes in Hispanic populations.