"We need methods to handle hazards and risks from chemicals in mixtures"

Hi Johan, and congratulations on your new position as Professor of Toxicology! What excites you the most about this new role?

"Thank you – it's a great honor to be appointed professor at SLU! As a new professor, I'm excited about the possibility to continue building my own research group with more long-term ambitions than has been possible when I had to rely solely on external research funding. I'm also looking forward to continue my collaborations with other SLU researchers both at the VH faculty and the NJ faculty."

What are your immediate goals and priorities in your new role as a Professor?

"The most prioritized task for me right now is to continue to expand my research group with new projects, ideas, collaborations and people. This, of course, goes hand in hand, so I envision writing quite a few grant proposals over the year to come, to get all of this moving. Another important task is to get a better overview of the teaching in toxicology, to make sure that we are ready to handle all lectures when the previous Professor of Toxicology retire later this year."

Can you share any upcoming projects or collaborations that you are particularly excited about?

"Right now we are working on the development of a new biological analysis tool, using cultured cells, to detect endocrine disruptive pollutants in the environment. These are pollutants that disturb the functions of the hormones that we have in our bodies. The tool is more sensitive than the existing ones and is also designed to take the first steps towards building a biosensor, meaning that we could move this advanced analysis from the laboratory into the field. That would make it possible to detect hazardous pollutants much faster than today and allow continuous monitoring of chemical hazards in for example drinking water treatment plants."

What do you enjoy most about working at SLU, and how do you think the university supports interdisciplinary research like One Health?

"I've been working at SLU for more than ten years and I really enjoy working here. I especially appreciate the open and positive environment between colleagues and the possibilities to find interesting research collaborations within the university. It's great that SLU is supporting interdisciplinary research such as One Health, and I also appreciate the fact that the university is actively working with innovation, utilization and commercialization under the SLU Holding umbrella."

Looking ahead, how do you see the field of toxicology evolving in the next five to ten years, especially in relation to One Health?

"I think that the field of toxicology will continue to embrace the fact that we can't handle chemicals and pollutants one by one. There are simply too many pollutants for that and we are never exposed to only ONE chemical at the same time. The truth is that we are continuously exposed to a complex, and ever-changing, mixture of thousands of chemicals. To me, that means that we need to develop strategies and methods to evaluate and handle the hazards and risks by those mixtures rather than the single chemicals. These challenges are the same for both humans, other animals and the environment at large, so this shift will definitely happen in a One Health context."

If you could give one piece of advice to students or young researchers interested in toxicology and One Health, what would it be?

"My advice would be to use all the resources and networks that are available at SLU, for example events, breakfasts etcetera organized by SLU Future One Health and many others. Those are perfect arenas to find the mentors, supporters and collaborators needed go get involved in toxicology and One Health."