Artur Conde holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Minho, where he unveiled the role of polyols in grapevine drought tolerance. With 10 years of post-doctoral research, he has been researching plant biochemistry, biology and physiology, including grapevine-environment interaction, participating in many research projects (one as PI) and supervising numerous postgraduate students.

His research focuses on enhancing grapevine resilience and productivity through innovative bio-based strategies. He studies miPEPs’ role in protecting grapevines from pathogens and optimizing berry biochemistry for sustainable bioactive metabolite production. He also explores sustainable and bio-based practices to mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses, contributing to climate-resilient viticulture.

grapevine-environment interaction, bio-based stress mitigation strategies, sustainable agriculture, micropeptides (miPEPs), climate-resilient viticulture, bioactive metabolites production

Sofia Costa has a degree in Biology (1998) and an MSc in Ecology (2002), Univ. Coimbra, a PhD in Biological Sciences (2007, Univ. Lancaster, based at Rothamsted, UK), and a Post-graduation in Organic Agriculture (2014, IPVC). She held FCT postdoc grants on nematode-plant-rhizobia interactions (Univ. Coimbra and Australian National University) and sustainable nematode management (Univ. Minho and IPVC).

Sofia Costa is a nematode ecologist active in two main research lines: i) the use of nematode communities as bioindicators of soil-based ecosystem services; and ii) the ecology and control of crop-damaging plant-parasitic nematodes in agroecosystems. These two lines are combined in the topic of Agroecology, that she explores to evaluate, monitor and promote agroecosystem resilience to pests and diseases.

agroecology, crop protection, nematode community analysis, plant-parasitic nematodes, rhizosphere interactions, soil ecology

Manuela Costa graduated in Biochemistry at the University of Lisbon. She conducted her PhD research at the John Innes Centre (Norwich, UK) and obtained her PhD in Plant Molecular Genetics in 2000 by the University of East Anglia. She did a post-doc at the John Innes Centre and at the University of Edinburgh. She became an Assistant Professor at the University of Minho in 2007.

Manuela Costa research focus on studying different transcriptional networks that regulate floral development and how some key genes have contributed for the establishment of novel morphologies during evolution. Her lab is also investigating how climate change is affecting the molecular mechanisms that control flower induction/dormancy throughout the year in Fagacea species (Quercus suber/Castanea sativa).

flower development, gene expression, transcriptional regulation, protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions

Teresa Lino-Neto has completed her Graduation in Applied Plant Biology at the University of Lisbon (1990) and obtained the PhD in Sciences with specialization in Plant Biology (2001) at the University of Minho. In 2021, she got the Habilitation in Biology with specialization in Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology, also from the University of Minho. She is an Associate Professor with Habilitation from the University of Minho.

The current main interests of TLN are on plant-microbe interactions (mycorrization, endophytes and PGPR) and microbial diversity associated with plants, studying their contribution for increasing forest sustainability and plant productivity.

plant-microbe interactions, soil biodiversity, plant sustainability, mycorrhization, biological control