Project Overview: Another major area of research in ESB Lab focuses on studying the impacts of climate change on soil microbial community structure and activity and, consequently, on the biogeochemical cycling and speciation of heavy metals. This allows us to assess the subsequent effects on microbial diversity, functionality, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in contaminated soils. Given the increasing threat of AMR, which is poised to become a global pandemic claiming millions of lives, this research area is more crucial than ever. This work is vital as the spread of AMR could endanger global health much like the recent COVID-19 pandemic. For this project, ESB has been collaborating with Dr. Kelli Palmer, a microbiologist and expert in molecular genetics at the University of Texas at Dallas, since 2023. This study, which is the first multidisciplinary research to include physical, chemical, and microbiological aspects of a climate change-related problem, will lay the groundwork for future research on this important topic.