Lena-Mari is SLU’s new associate senior lecturer in One Health and One Welfare

Lena-Mari took up her new position part-time in September 2026 and will move to full-time in January 2027. A veterinarian with a PhD from SLU, she studies how animal health, welfare and production are influenced by management and the environment.

In this interview, she shares her plans for the role and explains how One Health and One Welfare can bring different strands of her research together.

How does it feel to take on this new role?

‘I’m very excited about this opportunity! My background is in veterinary epidemiology, and over the years my research has expanded to cover animal health, welfare, biosecurity and the broader challenges facing livestock production.

While these topics are closely connected, I’ve sometimes found it challenging to identify the common thread running through my different projects. This position gives me the opportunity to bring these strands together and develop a clearer, more integrated research programme, with resilience as a central theme.

I’m also looking forward to becoming part of two strong research environments, Animal Welfare and Ruminant Management, with many interesting projects and talented colleagues. There are exciting opportunities to connect with other researchers across the department and develop new collaborations.’

Could you tell us about the role and what it entails?

‘The position focuses on One Health and One Welfare, recognising that the health and welfare of animals and people are closely interconnected with each other and with the environment.

I will divide my time equally between the Animal Welfare and Ruminant Management research groups at the Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare.’

What are your immediate priorities and concrete plans in this role?

‘Initially, I will continue working on my ongoing research projects, particularly those related to biosecurity, animal welfare and resilience to climate-related challenges. I will also be working on recently initiated activities within the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAHW), focusing on biosecurity and heat resilience.

In parallel, I’m involved in developing new research proposals aligned with the role, including a Horizon Europe proposal and a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network proposal.

An important priority is to get to know my new research environments better and explore opportunities for collaboration, both within and beyond the department. I see great potential in using a One Health approach to combine population-based and observational research with experimental studies and expertise from other disciplines. This can help us address complex questions around animal health, welfare and resilience, and better understand the connections between animal, human and environmental health. It can also help us understand how scientific findings translate into real farming conditions.’

What is your long-term vision, and what do you hope to achieve?

‘Resilience is a central interest of mine. My long-term vision is to contribute to sustainable animal production systems that work for everyone involved – animals, farmers and other people – while also protecting the environment.

We often study animal health, welfare, biosecurity and environmental challenges separately, even though they are closely interconnected in practice. One of my strengths as an epidemiologist is studying complex relationships in real-world settings. I see great potential in using a One Health approach to combine population-based and observational research with experimental studies and expertise from other disciplines. This can help us understand the connections between animal, human and environmental health, and how scientific findings translate into real farming conditions.

Ultimately, my ambition is to build a research programme that moves beyond individual problems towards a more integrated understanding of what makes animal production systems both resilient and sustainable, generating knowledge that can support better decisions in practice.’

More about Lena-Mari Tamminen and her research.