Martin Mickelsson

Short presentation

Associate Professor (Docent) in Global Health

PhD

Master of Education

Martin Mickelsson is Associate Professor (Docent) in Global Health and affiliated researcher at the Centre for Health and Sustainability (CHS), Department of Women's and Children´s Health and Uppsala Antibiotic Centre (UAC).

His research focuses on the intersections between antimicrobial resistance (AMR), environmental contamination, and water-related health risks within global health. With a particular interest in how healthc

Keywords

• global health
• socio-ecological health
• antimicrobial resistance
• PFAS
• health education
• health literacy

Biography

Martin defended his PhD at Uppsala University in 2020.

Between 2021 and 2024, Martin was the PI of the Swedish Research Council-funded international postdoctoral project Living with Microbes: Health Literacy in Antimicrobial Resistance Education at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, with placements in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Between 2024 and 2025, Martin participated in the EU- and Water4All-funded project GroundedExtremes, where, together with colleagues in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, he investigated the health impacts of groundwater scarcity.

Since 2026, Martin has been the PI of a FORMAS-funded project examining the health impacts of PFAS contamination in private wells and issues of health equity related to private and public responsibility for groundwater contamination.

Research

PFAS Risk Governance in public-private relationships: Perceptions, Responses, Trust and Responsibility in the public engagements of private well owners and municipal practitioners

Funded by FORMAS, 2026-2029 (Projekt-id: 2025-00528).

Project site.

The purpose of this research project is to examine the health impacts of PFAS contamination in private wells and issues of health equity related to private and public responsibility for groundwater contamination. The project explores how private well owners, municipalities, and public health actors understand, manage, and respond to risks associated with PFAS exposure in drinking water. Drawing on approaches from environmental health governance and health equity research, the project uses qualitative interviews, participatory engagement, and policy analysis as data-generating methods. Particular attention is given to how responsibilities for safe drinking water are distributed between individuals and public institutions, and how unequal access to knowledge, resources, and infrastructure shapes vulnerability to contamination. The research is expected to contribute new perspectives on groundwater governance, environmental health risks, and sustainable approaches to managing long-term contamination exposure.

Living with microbial roommates: Health literacy capability in antimicrobial resistance education

International postdoctoral research project, funded by Swedish Research Council, March 2021-2024 (Project-id: 2020-04567).

The purpose of this research project is to study approaches to, and conditions for, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) education among health practitioners. How AMR education can enable health practitioners in supporting the development of health literacy capabilities among local communities in Zimbabwe and South Africa are explored as part of the project. Drawing on the theoretical approaches of Health literacy capabilities and experiential learning, the project will use participatory research workshops as the data generating method. As such, the project has the dual purpose of building-capacity among workshop participants and generating data regarding AMR education. Generated data will be analysed using an retroductive method, emphasising theory development regarding ABR education from a health literacy capability perspective.The research process centers on two series of participatory research workshops. Combined with continuous support and reflective opportunities, they enable health practitioners to develop their approaches to ABR education and adapt these to their ongoing health practices. The research is expected, drawing on the experiences of the participants before, during and between the workshops, to result in new perspectives on AMR education.