Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasing in nature and threatens the effectiveness of our drug therapies and infection control. However, it does not remain easy to distinguish what originates from human activities or what is natural. Therefore, we must extend the scale and depth of monitoring efforts to understand better what drives the increase in resistance traits.

These projects investigate the role of environmental stressors on the propagation and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance and relate specific environmental conditions and factors with observed AR gene levels to identify risk factors associated with resistance development and impacts on humans and agriculture

Current research endeavours include:

• mesocosms ( “pseudo-realistic” miniature ecosystems)
• whole-lake ecotoxicological experiment (2023-25, with possible further studies)
• investigation of AMR evolution via genetic analyses of archived soils
• geochemical stress and bacterial secondary metabolites
• ecotoxicological assessment of plant extracts (and decay products) on bacterial stress
• “green chemistry” and nanoparticles
• agriculture and aquaculture risks

I am open to ideas, and projects do not have to involve lab or field studies.