Peter Halvarsson

My work focuses on critical issues in animal parasitology and ecology. My research spans investigating parasitic infections in livestock and wildlife to the genomics and development and employment of molecular techniques for parasite detection. 
I have an interdisciplinary approach and combining field studies, laboratory analysis, and advanced molecular techniques to address questions in veterinary parasitology, wildlife ecology, and conservation biology.

1. Parasitology and Anthelmintic Resistance
- Investigating the occurrence and mechanisms of anthelmintic resistance in various parasites, including resistance to various anthelmintics in parasites of sheep, horses and chicken
- Studying gastrointestinal parasite communities in wildlife (e.g. Red deer, Roe deer, Fallow deeer, Reindeer), horses and sheep, particularly in response to selective treatment strategies
- Exploring the horizontal transfer of parasites between wild and domestic animals
   
2. Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Conservation Genomics, and Epidemiology
- Studying genetic differentiation, demographic history, and adaptation in various animal species, including reindeer, birds and amphibians
- Examining the relationship between genetic diversity, environmental factors, and population dynamics
- Developing and applying molecular techniques for parasite detection and species identification
- Investigating the association between parasites community, microbiome and host genomics
 
3. Animal Health Economics and Management
- Analyzing the effect of farmers' decisions on testing for gastrointestinal parasites and their treatment of livestock diseases
- Evaluating the impact of biosecurity measures on parasite infections

Methodological Expertise

- Molecular parasite analysis and species determination
- Next-generation sequencing and genomic analysis
- Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for parasite detection and quantification
- Bioinformatics and pipeline development for metabarcoding analysis
- Field studies and ecological surveys
- Epidemiological modeling

Current Funded Projects

1. Horizontal Transfer of Parasites between Wild and Domestic Animals
- Funded by: FORMAS (4-year grant, 2024-2027)
- Principal Investigator
- This project investigates the complex dynamics of parasite transmission between wildlife populations and domestic animals, exploring the ecological and epidemiological factors that facilitate such transfers.

2. Anthelmintic Resistance in Cattle Gastrointestinal Parasites
- Funded by: Swedish Farmers' Foundation for Agricultural Research (SLF) (3-year grant, 2024-2026)
- Principal Investigator
- This study examines the growing concern of anthelmintic resistance in instestinal nematode parasites and lungworms, and aims to understand the current status of resistance in Sweden and explore potential mitigation strategies.

3. Reindeer Ecology, Genetics, and Husbandry Practices under Climate Change and Changed Land Use
- Funded by: FORMAS (4-year grant, 2024-2027)
- Co-applicant
- This interdisciplinary project explores the ecology and genetics of reindeer, as well as the prerequisites for husbandry practices in the context of climate change and changed land use. It combines ecological research with traditional knowledge to develop sustainable management and husbandry strategies.

4. Microbiota in Relation to Periodontitis in Dogs
- Funded by: Svelands stiftelse (2-year grant, 2024-2025)
- Prinicpal Investigator
- This study explore correlations between bacteria in helathy dogs and in dogs with and Periodontitis . The goal is to find key bacteria species that can be used as indicators for mouth health.

Prior to joining SLU, I have conducted research in two main areas:

1. Avian Parasitology, Genetics, Phylogenetics, Dispersal and Population dynamics
- Early in my career, I investigated the prevalence of apicomplexan parasites in the great snipe (Gallinago media), exploring their relationship with host age and MHC genotype. This work sparked my interest in the intricate relationships between parasites and their hosts
- I continued this line of research, collaborating on studies examining avian malaria parasite infections and their effects on bird behavior
- Participated in constructing a species phylogeny of tits and chickadees, which has enhanced our understanding of avian evolution
- Studied genetic differentiation and kin recognition, exploring the interplay between genetics and social behavior in birds
- Investigated genetic- and radiotracking methods for assessing dispersal. This work has helped studying population dynamics and gene flow in various species.

2. Insect Ecology and Genetics
- I contributed to several studies on insects, developing molecular tools for species identification and population genetics.
- Developed a restriction enzyme assay to distinguish between cryptic mosquito species
- Designed molecular markers for studying insect population genetics and dispersal
- Investigated the detection of mosquito DNA in the guts of predatory diving beetles, contributing to our understanding of predator-prey relationships in insects
- Studied genetic differentiation and dispersal dragonflies, examining how geographical factors influence population structure and gene flow.

You'll find my publications on Google Scholar

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pJvWmWEAAAAJ&hl