New dissertation within One Health: We congratulate Ida Nordström!

Last changed: 05 March 2025
A blond woman wearing a red coat and a black scarf, surrounded by pine trees. Photo.

Recently, Ida Nordström successfully defended her thesis. We took the opportunity to ask some questions about her research and future plans.

Who are you? Could you give a short presentation of yourself and your research area?

"My name is Ida Nordström, I hold a master’s degree in engineering, specifically in bioresource technology, and I also have a background as a nurse. Recently, I received my Doctor of Technology title for my thesis in forest pathology. The work behind the thesis aimed to develop already available techniques in order to use them for detection and identification of forest pathogens. I focused specifically on air sample analysis and DNA-based methods".

How does your research align with the One Health concept, and in what ways can it contribute to a more sustainable and socially impactful world?

"Our forests are increasingly threatened by foreign and already present pathogens due to the changing climate, for example in terms of increased host stress, opportunistic pathogens that take advantage of stressed host trees and become more harmful, and more allowing climatic factors which often favour the pathogens. We are therefore in need of accurate, high-throughput tools for detecting, monitoring and identifying agents that can harm our urban and forest trees. In my thesis, I showcase that these yet unused methods have potential for implementation for example in trade, in field and lab - cost-efficient solutions that circumvent the need for time-demanding external sequencing services".

What are your plans now after your PhD?

"I am currently finishing up the projects relating to my PhD. From March onward, you will find me at Jordbruksverket, the Swedish Board of Agriculture, where I will continue to work with prevention and management of quarantine pests and pathogens in plants".

We wish Ida the best of luck in your future career!