The Strategic Vision of the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SWEHSC) is tofacilitate and implement innovative research aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlyingthe modulation of human disease risks due to environmental exposures among populations livingin arid environments. The objective is to bring interdisciplinary scientists together to study theenvironment genetics and the resulting toxicology that influence morbidity in our underservedAmerican Indian and Hispanic communities. SWEHSC incorporates state-of-the-art technologiesacross the environmental health sciences to assess exposures and health risks (HumanPopulation and Exposure Resource IHSFC) including small molecule detection and quantification(Emerging Contaminants Analytical Resource IHSFC) subcellular confocal imaging (CellularImaging Facility Core) genetic and genomic/epigenomic analyses (Genomics Facility Core) andcutting-edge bioinformatics (Data Science Resource IHSFC) in exposed communities andthrough a strong Community Engagement Core program that focuses on the social and culturalneeds and practices of affected people. The themes of the SWEHSC are demonstrated through three Research Focus Groups (RFG).RFG1 Environmental Exposures to Southwest Populations works with multiple stakeholdergroups to assess multiple routes of exposure in arid environments. RFG2 Environmental LungDisease must account for the low humidity and high wind velocities that result in complexinhalation exposures. RFG3 Adaptive Responses to Environmental Stress focuses on themolecular pathways of adaptive responses to environmental stressors such as arsenic andultraviolet light that result in oxidative stress. The desert Southwest is the only US region that adequately represents much of the world'sarid habitats; thus the accomplishments of the SWEHSC will have broad applicability to otherdiverse populations. This is essential to our long-term goal of improving the lives of the people inarid environments by developing rational approaches to mitigating their risks of hazardousenvironmental exposures and by developing intervention strategies to reduce adverse healthoutcomes.