Newly recruited assistant professor to strengthen the ethology research at LiU
06 May 2025
Lejla Kronbäck
Christina Hansen Wheat recently started her employment as assistant professor at LiU, funded by the Early Career Grant from Formas. At LiU, and the Department of physics, chemistry and biology, Christina’s ambition is to establish a long-term research programme using dogs as a model species to answer a range of questions relating to animal behaviour.
Christina's research focuses on how behaviour influences the lives of animals. Her studies examine the development and evolution of behaviour over time, and how factors such as social environment, physiology, climate, and habitat impact behaviour.
Christina obtained her Master's degree in behavioural ecology from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, working with swift foxes in Colorado, USA. She then moved toPhotographer: Peter Kaut Sweden for her PhD studies in ethology at Stockholm University, studying wolves and dogs to explore behavioural evolution during domestication. Her postdoctoral work at Lund University, the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, and the University of Zürich focused on social behaviour, evolution, and cooperation in birds.
Christina chose Linköping University for its long tradition of ethological research. "Linköping University has a strong history of diverse ethological research that aligns well with my own research interests. It is an ideal place for me to start my career. I look forward to insightful collaborations in a dynamic research environment at a university that also offers great teaching in ethology at both bachelor and master levels," she says.
Currently, Christina is establishing her lab group, and aims to also involve undergraduate and postgraduate students in research projects. Her long-term goal is to develop a research programme using dogs as a model species to address questions related to animal behaviour, behavioural ecology, and behavioural evolution.
Christina's research encompasses frameworks applicable to animal welfare, conservation, and basic research. Currently, she is initiating a four-year project to determine if behavioural problems in pet dogs are linked to disruptions in early behavioural development. This involves screening thousands of dogs worldwide using questionnaires and conducting behavioural tests on a subset of these dogs.
"Behavioural problems are unfortunately very common in our pet dogs, with upwards of 80% of dogs in Europe, Australia and the United States exhibiting maladaptive behaviours, which include excessive fear, anxiety and also aggression towards people and other dogs. Maladaptive behaviours in dogs can pose a risk to public health and are potentially damaging to the dog-human bond, but are also highly detrimental to dog welfare. Yet, we have a surprisingly poor understanding of the underlying causes of these behavioural problems. By seeking to improve our understanding of behavioural problems in dogs, this project has diverse societal benefits, such as increasing our understanding of dog behaviour, which in turn will advance the welfare of both dogs and owners," Christina explains.
Christina Hansen Wheat's research is funded by a four-year Early Career Grant from Formas. She will soon announce a PhD position.
