ESCCAP Sweden

ESCCAP Sweden MEMBER

Dr Giulio Grandi is a senior lecturer in veterinary parasitology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), where he is responsible for teaching and research on animal parasites, including vectors (especially ticks) and zoonotic parasites.

Giulio graduated in veterinary medicine from the University of Parma, Italy, in 2002 and obtained his doctoral degree from the same university in 2008.  He became a Diplomate of the European Veterinary Parasitology College (EVPC) in 2009 and has subsequently been re-certified.  He was appointed Associate Professor (Docent) in 2019 and Senior Lecturer at SLU in 2024.

His research has focused on various aspects of veterinary parasitology.  His early work examined the interaction of parasites with the immune system using different in vitro models, including Leishmania infantum and Neospora caninum.  He also investigated how the symbionts of Dirofilaria immitis affect the canine immune response and disease pathogenesis, as well as their potential as targets for treatment.

Since moving to Sweden in 2012, his research has focused on ticks, tick-borne pathogens and the description of symbionts in ticks.  Following his appointment as a senior lecturer, he has increasingly focused on parasites affecting farm animals.

His research has traditionally employed methods such as coprological analysis, necropsy, microscopy and morphological parasite identification.  More recently, he has incorporated molecular methods such as PCR and ddPCR, alongside the digital technique of AI-based microscopy.

He has authored more than 64 peer-reviewed and popular science publications, covering subjects including canine heartworm, ticks and tick-borne pathogens, liver fluke, grazing parasites in horses and the application of artificial intelligence in veterinary parasitology.

Image credit: Lisa Chröisty, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)