He obtained his Ph.D. and M.P.H. from the University of Minnesota, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center. His research focuses on metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and lately he has been involved in studying on how factors that alter the maternal-offspring transmission of bacteria influence offspring risk of childhood obesity. He has a broad background in conducting epidemiologic research in multiethnic populations, and has published over 25 articles and a book chapter. Among his latest work is a paper that suggests that mothers may transmit obesity risk to their children through sharing of bacteria during vaginal birth.