Anna Székely

I am a Docent (Associate Professor) in Biology with specialization in Ecology at the Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, SLU. My work bridges environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, and molecular surveillance, with a strong focus on aquatic environments.

After completing my PhD in applied environmental microbiology, my research has primarily focused on the fundamental microbiology of inland waters, with particular emphasis on microbial community ecology.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by my passion for applied science, I have expanded my activities to include the development and adaptation of molecular tools for environmental applications. This includes pathogen detection and surveillance in wastewater and natural waters, as well as eDNA-based strategies for biodiversity monitoring and water quality assessment. My goal is to be able to support evidence-based policy-making and stakeholder decisions, while contributing valuable data and tools to both the scientific community and the general public.

I lead and participate in a range of research and monitoring projects and initiatives.

Ongoing projects:

Swedish Environmental Epidemiology Center, a holistic pandemic preparedness capability for health-related environmental research and surveillance
Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV) an unexpected but efficient human faeces indicator in service of public health and environmental protection
Evaluation of the use of genomic analysis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in wastewater in South Africa and Sweden
EnBiFlu, testing the efficiency of multifaceted environmental assessment of avian influenza threats and outbreaks
Development of eDNA-based ecosystem status monitoring of habitat aquatic types and species