Isabel Maria Oliveira Abrantes, in 2002, got the “Agregação” in Zoology and, in 1989, the PhD in Animal Ecology from the “Universidade de Coimbra”. Presently, is an invited professor at University of Coimbra and a research integrated member of the NEMATO-lab, Centre of Functional Ecology-Science for People & the Planet (CFE) of this University. At University of Coimbra has lectured at undergraduate level (first, second and third years) and at post-graduate level: MSc (Animal Ecology, Animal Biology, Biology, Ecology, Cellular Biology, Teaching of Biology and Geology in the 3rd cycle of Basic and Secondary Education, European Master in Applied Ecology-EMAE, ERASMUS MUNDUS) and PhD (Biosciences, Teaching Sciences) and several advanced courses. It has supervised/co-supervised MSc/PhD theses, Post-Doctoral students, Short-term trainees of national/international researchers and participated in national and international juries (master/doctorate/access to the category of principal investigator, associate professor, professor). MSc/PhD students supervised (36 in Science Education) received their degrees. Her recent research activities include: 1) Morphoanatomy of plant parasitic nematodes asociated with several plants; 2) Biochemical and molecular characterisation of phytoparasitic nematodes; 3) Plant-nematode interactions; 4) Detection, identification and quantification of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.5) Sustainable strategies for the root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp.; 6) Root-lesion nematodes, Pratylenchus spp., management: development of alternative and innovative methodologies to obtain resistant plants; 7) Selection of genes related with the pathogenicity of the pinewood nematode, B. xylophilus, with potential to be used in the control of this nematode; 8) Identification of proteins, secreted by the pinewood nematode, involved in the migration of the nematodes in the plant tissues and in the interaction with the host plants with different susceptibility to the infection; 9) New ecological strategies for the biocontrol of the insect vector of the B. xylophilus: development of formulations based on phytochemicals. Has coordinated/participated in national/international research projects, organized national/international scientific events and training and dissemination actions. Participated in several national/international scientific events, presenting over 400 oral/poster communications and is author/co-author of more than 250 publications mainly in international/national scientific journals, international/national conference proceedings, books (co-author, co-editor) and book chapters. Has been acting as reviewer of manuscripts, submitted for publication in more than 15 scientific journals, as member of the editorial board and as senior editor. Has received 11 scientific awards, a Special Award of appreciation for supporting the Organization of Nematologists of Tropical America (ONTA) activities and organizing the 43rd annual meeting held, in 2011, in Coimbra, Portugal, the award “Fellow of the European Society of Nematologists (ESN)” for outstanding contributions to the Science of Nematology, at the 33rd ESN Symposium, Ghent, Belgium, in 2018, "Sócio Honorário" of the Associação Portuguesa de Professores de Biologia e Geologia (APPBG), in 2023, in recognition of the relevant services provided, which contributed to the prestige and promotion of APPBG, and in 2024 the ESN Green Travel Award, for her contribution to reduce carbon emissions when attending the 35th International Symposium of the ESN, Cordoba, Spain.