Jana is a microbial ecologist whose PhD focused on using soil biology to improve monitoring and restoration of drylands. She is interested in how biological stress aboveground is reflected in soil communities and using this to improve monitoring of plant-soil health. With BNHRC she is working with A. Prof. Mark Ooi at UNSW to investigate the impact of commonly used fire retardants on soil and plants with the aim to improve how they are used.