Patrick Sherwood

I am a forest pathologist and Senior Lecturer based at the Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre in Alnarp. Using my background in plant pathology and molecular biology, and I combine biochemical, molecular, and analytical approaches to better understand tree resistance, pathogen behavior, and early disease detection.

In addition to my research and teaching, I serve as Program Director of Studies (Programstudierektor, PSR) for the Forest and Landscape bachelor’s program and as Deputy Head of Department. In these roles, I contribute to educational leadership, curriculum development, and strategic planning within an interdisciplinary academic environment.

My research aims to understand and manage forest diseases by combining fundamental biology with practical applications. I focus on three main areas:

First, I develop rapid and field-deployable tools for disease detection and diagnostics. This includes the use of volatilomics (i.e. VOC profiling) and nanopore sequencing. These approaches are designed to support forest management and biosecurity to limit the incursion and spread of invasive and endemic forest pathogens.

Second, using portable infrared spectroscopy, I work on pest resistance phenotyping. By linking chemical signatures to resistance traits, I aim to accelerate the identification of more resilient tree genotypes and contribute to long-term forest sustainability. 

Third, I study the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying tree resistance and pathogen infection. Much of this work builds on conifer pathosystems, particularly involving stress-related susceptibility and defensive chemistry, and seeks to explain why trees become more vulnerable under environmental stress 

Across these themes, my research integrates chemical ecology, metabolomics, and molecular biology to address both current and emerging challenges in forest health, including invasive pathogens and climate-driven disease dynamics. 

I teach across all levels at SLU, from undergraduate to PhD education.

Predominantly I teach within the Forest and Landscape bachelor’s program (aka FLAP), where I also serve as Program Director of Studies. I lecture in courses such as Trees: Structure and Function and Tree and Forest Health, where I cover topics including plant physiology, pathogen biology, and modern diagnostic methods. I also contribute to master’s courses and serve as course leader for the PhD-level course Management and Consequences of Forest Damage.

A central part of my teaching is my role in the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) initiative within the FLAP. I coordinate writing instruction across multiple courses, provide structured feedback on student work, and run workshops on academic writing, communication, and scientific reasoning. This work supports students throughout their education and helps them develop as critical thinkers and effective communicators.

My teaching combines theoretical knowledge with practical applications, including laboratory exercises and field-based learning, with the aim of connecting research to real-world forest management challenges.