Gabriela Olmos Antillon

I am keen to understand the factors influencing animal health and welfare within the community. To achieve this, I frame my research within a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative components to maximise insight, identifying risk factors for health and welfare challenges, while also exploring the social perceptions and barriers faced by farmers and animal health consultants

My research focuses on advancing animal health, welfare, and productivity while addressing global challenges, including antimicrobial resistance and climate resilience. A key focus is on antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary medicine, where I apply social practice theory to better understand and influence decision-making around antibiotic use. I lead and collaborate on interdisciplinary projects across Sweden, Brazil, and Spain, exploring responsible antimicrobial use, perceptions of genetic selection for heat-tolerant dairy cows, sustainable digitalisation in milk production, and innovative animal welfare monitoring with sensor and computer vision technologies. Through this work, I aim to support more sustainable, resilient livestock systems by integrating social, technological, and biological perspectives.

Ongoing projects:

• AMUVP project: Understanding antibiotic use decision making in contrasting countries and animal species - Towards reducing antimicrobial resistance for all (Att förstå beslutsfattandet kring antibiotikaanvändning i kontrasterande länder och djurarter - På vägen mot att minska antimikrobiell resistens för alla) Project Location: Sweden, Brazil & Spain / Formas Grant no. 2019-00324, Role: Pi/Shared PM with Nils Fall
• Från känslig till robust atlet - kan genomisk selektion hjälpa mjölkkor möta varmare temperaturer (From sensitive to robust athlete - genomic selection can help dairy cows face warmer temperatures). Formas grant no. 2022-01486, Role: Co-Applicant, PM: Lena-Mari Tamminen
• Vägen mot hållbar digitalisering inom mjölkproduktionen (Kartläggning av vägen mot hållbar digitalisering inom mjölkproduktionen. Formas Grant no. 2021-02348, Role: Co-Applicant, PM: Lisa Ekman)
• Visionary Welfare (Tillsyn av djurskydd och -välfärd med multisensorteknologi och datorseende, Project Aim: developing a system for observing various animal welfare measures in dairy cows with multi-sensor technology and computer vision.). Formas Grant no. 2021-02254, Role: Co-Applicant, PM/Collaborators: Nils Fall / Ulf Emanuelson / Niclas Högberg / Lena-Mari Tamminen
• Mindre mjölkkovesättningars roll i en hållbar och robust svensk livsmedelsförsörjning (Role: Research Consultant) / PM: Lisa Ekman
• Mastitis in a sustainable dairy production: strategies and recovery. Formas Grant No. 2019-00393, (Role: Research Consultant) / PM: Nils Fall
• Extremväders effekt på mjölkkors hälsa och produktivitet (Extreme weather – consequences for the health of dairy cows and productivity)
  Formas Grant/ Role: Co-Applicant / PM: Lena-Mari Tamminen
• Antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in Swedish organic dairy herds (Role: Research assistant - Project´s objective A: Antibiotic use) / PM: Ulf Emanuelson

Finished Projects

• 2018-2020 NKJ Network “I hear you, but I’m not listening!” Improving communication in the veterinary and medical advisory context towards engagement in reduced antimicrobial use (Role: Co-Applicant)
• 2017 – 2021 UFSC grant (Brazil) – Knowledge and attitudes of Brazilian pig production stakeholders on antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial use and its reduction - Research consortium / PhD co-supervisor to Rita de Albernaz Gonçalves da Silva/ PM: María Jose Hötzel)
• 2016-2020 Factors associated with morbidity, mortality and growth of lactating dairy calves, Southern Brazil (Role: PhD Co-supervisor to Vilmar Fruscalso) / PM: María Jose Hötzel
• 2015 2016 CNpq, Programa Ciência sem Fronteiras grant (Brazil) - Knowledge and attitudes of Brazilian pig production stakeholders on antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial use and its reduction. - Research fellow (Junior position) / PM: María Jose Hötzel
• 2009 - 2013 DEFRA/EU: South West Healthy Livestock Initiative - Knowledge Exchange (SWHLI - KE) Project. Role: Epidemiological Research Manager
• 2013 DEFRA - Evaluation of the RDPE North West Livestock Programme - Co-applicant
• 2009 - 2011 The Donkey Sanctuary (UK) – Pain recognition in Donkeys - Co-applicant / Postdoctoral researcher

The majority of my teaching is related to workshop facilitation or supervision of research students (MSc or PhD level). Thus, my role is that of a mentor who guides the student in developing their capabilities for big-picture thinking and scientific responsibility. Acting as a sounding board for them to reflect on how to solve the next step and how their research fits in and impacts the communities involved. I based my supervision philosophy on four beliefs:

1) That learning is an individual process and thus should be student-centred.

2) That we are all born complete and ready and with an innate curiosity for self-development, thus able to solve problems, learn new skills and navigate through many possible solutions critically.

3) That we are all interconnected and therefore have a value and a responsibility towards the planetary community and boundaries.

4) That reality and thus, what we construct as knowledge in society, can and should be based on quantitative and qualitative methodologies (i.e. mixed methodology). Although the paradigms, ontology and epistemology between quantitative and qualitative methods are not shared. These two areas create a synergy of results, yielding additive outcomes that enable contextualised facts. A mixed-methodology approach thus provides solutions to global problems, where we not only describe phenomena but also gain an understanding of how related communities perceive them.

Involvement in SLU post-graduate courses:

PVS0155 Animal Welfare and the UN Sustainable Development Goals - Co-developer / Teacher, facilitator

PVG0040 Introduction to qualitative research methods (September 2019) - Course assistant & facilitator

Finished supervision:

• Thérese Granlund (VetMed Degree) Role: Shared Main Supervision/Co-supervisor; Location: SLU, Sweden (2022/2023) Thesis title: Are Swedish vet students ready to use antibiotics?
• Ida Gillsjo (VetMed Degree) Role: Co-supervision; Location: SLU, Sweden (2021/2022) Thesis title: Robotens roll i juverhälsoarbetet : en kvalitativ studie
• Rita de Albernaz Gonçalves da Silva (PhD); Role: co-supervision; Location: UFSC, Brazil
• Vilmar Fruscalso (PhD); Role: co-supervision; Location: UFSC, Brazil
• Gabriela Almeida Marquette (MSc); Role: co-supervision; Location UFSC, Brazil
• Jo Hockenhull (Postdoctoral fellow); Role: Co-supervision; University of Bristol, UK
• Ayin Q Alvarado Arellano (Research Internship); Role: main supervisor; Location: UNAM, Mexico / Donkey Sanctuary, UK
• Maeve Palmer (MSc/ Research Internship); Role: Co-supervisor; Location: TEAGASC, Ireland / Edinburgh University, UK