Wold completed her medical degree in 1989 at the
University of Gothenburg.[3] Wold specializes in the normal
bacterial flora of the
intestines, and their interaction with the
immune system. Together with her group of scientists she focuses studies on how allergies and
inflammatory bowel disease may be dependent on an altered
gut-flora.[1] She has studied allergy development in children of farmers for many years and suggested their low rates of allergy may be explained by the
hygiene hypothesis of allergy development.[4]
In January 2014, media called attention to Wold's development of a promising general vaccine against allergies, consisting of a
bacterial protein working as an
antigen stimulating the immune system.[5]
Advocacy for women in academia
In 1997, Wold, together with
Christine Wennerås, published 'Nepotism and Sexism in Peer-Review' in
Nature[6] which examined discrimination in peer-reviews of postdoctoral research awards at the Swedish Medical Research Council. The report scientifically showed that women needed significantly better academic credentials than men in order to succeed in applications for services and research grants. Wold was previously chairperson of the
Kvinnliga akademikers förening [
sv] (Association of Women Academics).
Media appearances
Wold is a regular contributor to Swedish newspapers, Twitter, television and radio shows especially regarding infectious disease, allergy and women in science.[7][8] During the
COVID-19 pandemic, she has become a regular source of practical advice for the general public.[8]
Inducted into The Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg (Kungliga Vetenskaps- och Vitterhetssamhället i Göteborg) in 2014[10]
'Professional Woman of the Year' (2015) by BPW Sweden (Business and Professional Women).[11]
'Woman of the Year' (2016) by
Expressen newspaper citing, in part, '“In a media world that focuses on opinions and beautiful women, she made it to the top and made mincemeat of myths about cleaning, breastfeeding and menopause. In a short time, Professor Agnes Wold has gone from a combative role model in the old boy's club of the university world to becoming a woman going against the current for the whole of Sweden.”'(translated from Swedish).[2]
Learning Ladder Prize (2018) which recognizes Swedes who help others develop knowledge.[12]
^Wold, Agnes E. (1989). Studies on bacterial adherence and local immunity in the gut. Göteborg.
ISBN978-91-7900-790-4.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link)