Karin Östensson holds a veterinary medicine degree from the Royal Veterinary College of Stockholm in Sweden. After her PhD she was appointed from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Uppsala (SLU) as a Director for international training programs in reproduction and udder health/milk quality addressing vets in developing countries.

During her time at SLU she was in charge for some years as Deputy Dean of the Faculty and later on as Vice Rector of the University with a special responsibility on the University's education programs and courses. From 2003 to 2009 she has been the President of the Swedish Veterinary Association (part time) while, since 2006, she is a Member (as representative of FVE) of the European Coordination Committee on Veterinary Training (ECCVT).

At present time she is an associate professor at the the Division of Reproduction in the Department of Clinical Sciences of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (SLU) in Uppsala, Sweden; she gives lectures on practical clinics and herd investigations. Her research area focuses on mastitis in cows and water buffaloes and on clinical immunology.