Patrik Andersson new programme director for Mistra SafeChem

Since the beginning of 2025, Patrik Andersson has taken over as programme director after John Munthe. As a former programme board member, Patrik is very familiar with Mistra SafeChem.

Patrik Andersson is a professor at Umeå University, a job he will partly leave for IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute where he will be in charge of Mistra SafeChem.

What is your background?

– I grew up in a small village in Skåne, but my interest in the environment, mountaineering and skiing took me to Östersund, where I studied ecoengineering. Knowing that Umeå University had a strong environmental chemistry research group, I moved there. After my master’s degree, I worked as an analytical chemist at a pharma company. In 2000, I defended my PhD thesis on computational methods for fate and effect studies of polychlorinated biphenyls. I spent two years as a postdoc in the Netherlands developing computational methods before returning to Umeå. A grant from Formas for studies on brominated flame retardants enabled me to start a research group, which currently includes PhD students and researchers. Since 2017 I am a professor in environmental chemistry with a research focus on computational methods for studying chemical and toxicological phenomena.

What is your main focus within the field of green chemistry?

– Based on a deep understanding of chemical drivers of hazardous properties for environmental and human health effects, I hope we can contribute to developing more benign and green chemicals. In particular, I hope we can provide models that facilitate faster screening of hazard properties of candidate structures and guide in selection and design processes.

How do you evaluate the work within Mistra SafeChem so far?

– Having been involved from the programme board perspective it has been very stimulating to see the process of development of the scientific parts, the integration of the various disciplines, and the interest and activity of stakeholders and industry partners.

What results do you hope for from the programme?

– I hope to see further integration of the disciplines involved, as applied in the case studies to progress in the development of novel greener chemistry.

What impact do you hope the programme will have?

– I hope it will further stimulate development in the field in close collaboration with stakeholders and industry and contribute to developing the framework Safe and sustainable by design (SSbD). I also hope it will catalyse the networking and training of young scientists in the field of green chemistry in Sweden and beyond, says Patrik Andersson.

"A smooth transition in leadership"

John Munthe, IVL, has been in a leading position of Mistra SafeChem since the start in 2019. He is happy that Patrik Andersson has accepted the position of programme director.

– Patrik comes with extensive experience in computational chemistry and predicting risks to human health and the environment, a core activity in the programme, as well as from research management. Since he has been a member of the programme board from the start, he is very familiar with the programme and the research we are performing. This will ensure a smooth transition in leadership.

What impact do you hope Mistra SafeChem will have in the coming years?

– A key factor in achieving impact in our field is a fruitful collaboration with the industry and their commitment to change. With the consortium we have formed, where the industry partners have shown a very strong engagement at the start of phase 2, I am confident that our research will have a great impact. We can provide knowledge and new tools for hazard and risk assessment, innovative chemical synthesis processes and chemical footprints – in line with the EU ambitions for the chemical industry and the implementation of the SSbD concept. By disseminating our results and participating in research and networking activities, we will also enable impact outside the consortium in Sweden and the EU, says John Munthe.

As the programme director of Mistra SafeChem, Patrik Andersson will work with programme manager Helene Juliusson and deputy programme manager Monika Witala, both of whom are based at IVL.