**About the Editors**

#### **Carla Maleita**

Carla Maleita, Ph.D. in Biology-Ecology from the University of Coimbra (UC), has conducted research at the Centre for Chemical Processes Engineering and Forest Products (CIEPQPF) and the Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), UC. Her research interests include the morphological, biochemical, and molecular characterization of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN); natural compounds from agricultural residues to be used in the management of emerging and concomitant PPN; bionematicides; the evaluation of the ecotoxicological effects of bionematicides in plants and soil invertebrates, including non-target soil nematode communities; the assessment of the effects of phytocompounds in the PPN life cycle and gene-expression profiles; the characterization of the molecular mechanisms involved in plant–nematode interaction; and the assessment of the pathogenicity of the root-knot nematodes. She participates or has participated in national and international projects; is the author/co-author of more than 30 articles published in international scientific peer review journals; and has been or is involved in the (co)supervision/tutorial of post-doctoral researchers and Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc. and undergraduate students.

#### **Isabel Abrantes**

Isabel Abrantes, Ph.D. in Animal Ecology from University of Coimbra (UC), Portugal, is an invited professor at the UC and a researcher member of the Centre of Functional Ecology. At UC, she has lectured at the undergraduate level and the post-graduate level and for several advanced courses. She has supervised/co-supervised M.Sc./Ph.D. theses, post-doctoral students, short-term trainees, and national/international researchers. Her recent research activities include 1) morphoanatomy and biochemical and molecular characterization of phytoparasitic nematodes; 2) sustainable strategies for root-knot nematodes, *Meloidogyne* spp., and root-lesion nematodes, *Pratylenchus* spp., management; 3) the selection of genes related to the pathogenicity of the pinewood nematode (PWN), *Bursaphelenchus xylophilus*, with the potential to be used in the control of this nematode; 4) the identification of proteins, secreted by the PWN, 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. She has coordinated/participated in national/international research projects, organized national/international scientific events, and is author/co-author of more than 250 publications in international/national scientific journals, international/national conference proceedings, books (co-author, co-editor), and book chapters. She has received 11 scientific awards; a Special Award of appreciation for supporting the Organization of Nematologists of Tropical America activities and organizing the 43rd annual meeting held in 2011 in Coimbra, Portugal; and in 2018 received the award "Fellow of the European Society of Nematologists" for outstanding contributions to the science of Nematology.

#### **Iv ˆania Esteves**

Ivania Esteves is an Assistant Researcher at the Department of Life Sciences, University of ˆ Coimbra (UC), Portugal (CEECIND/02082/2017). Her Ph.D. was obtained in 2007 at the University of Cranfield, England, with a thesis entitled "Factors affecting the performance of the fungus *Pochonia chlamydosporia* as a biological control agent for nematodes". The majority of the research since her Ph.D. has centered on finding alternative strategies to manage plant-parasitic nematodes in agro-ecosystems through the use of fungal biocontrol agents and nematicidal phytocompounds. At present, she is coordinating a national research project on the tropical root-knot nematode, *Meloidogyne luci* (PTDC/ASP-PLA/31946/2017), is involved in national and international projects focusing research on root-lesion nematodes, and is co-supervising a Ph.D. study. To date, she has published 25 articles in international journals, 5 book chapters, and various abstracts in ISI journals and/or ISSN/ISBN journals. She has been involved in the organization of three international scientific meetings in the field of phytopathology and one national colloquium, supervises students, and regularly participates in various scientific outreach activities organized by her host institution.
