Ingrid is SLU’s new Professor of One Health and Comparative Medicine
Ingrid Ljungvall is SLU’s new Professor of One Health with a focus on Comparative Medicine. In this interview, she talks about her new role and how comparative medicine can strengthen One Health research at SLU.
Congratulations, Ingrid! You started your new position as Professor of One Health with a focus on Comparative Medicine on 1 September.
How does it feel to take on this new role?
“Thank you! I am very happy and excited to take on this new position. Comparative medicine has been part of my research for many years, so it feels both natural and inspiring to step into this new role.”
Could you tell us about the role and what it entails?
“The role includes research, teaching, clinical duties and collaboration, as well as responsibility for further developing comparative medicine within a One Health context at SLU.
As SLU is Sweden’s only university offering veterinary medical education, it is important that our research generates knowledge that benefits veterinary patients. At the same time, diseases shared by animals and humans offer unique opportunities for comparative research and for advancing our understanding of health and disease across species.
SLU University Animal Hospital (UDS) is an important research infrastructure in this respect, providing unique opportunities to combine clinical work with research.”
What are your immediate priorities and concrete plans in this role?
“One priority is to build on my ongoing research and further develop comparative projects involving companion animals. We have already identified several research questions where naturally occurring diseases in animals may provide new insights into disease mechanisms, diagnostics and prevention. I also hope to strengthen collaborations across disciplines, particularly between veterinary and human medicine.
Education is another priority, including raising awareness of the opportunities offered by comparative medicine and how it can contribute to One Health.”
What is your long-term vision, and what do you hope to achieve?
“My long-term vision is to help establish comparative medicine as an even stronger component of One Health research and education at SLU, and to contribute to sustainable collaborations across disciplines.
Ultimately, I would like knowledge to flow in both directions between veterinary and human medicine, allowing advances in each field to contribute to a better understanding of disease and improved health and clinical care across species. That mutual benefit is, to me, at the heart of comparative medicine and One Health.”
Awarded for outstanding research in veterinary medicine
Ingrid Ljungvall is also one of two recipients of the 2026 Award for Outstanding Research in Veterinary Medicine, together with Professor Jens Häggström, for their pioneering research in veterinary cardiology and contributions to comparative medicine. Read more about the award>>