Laura Abraham

Laura Abraham Research Scientist Bio-Informed Department: Herbarium and Library Contact: laura.abraham@plantentuinmeise.be ORCID  | ResearchGate | Linkedin | Fris research portal

As a research scientist at Meise Botanic Garden, I support the coordination and management of EU-funded biodiversity projects, focusing on invasive alien species (IAS), biodiversity monitoring, and the science-policy interface. My role involves overseeing project implementation, ensuring timely reporting to the European Commission, and facilitating collaboration among international partners. 

I organise and lead stakeholder engagement activities, such as Living Labs, hackathons, workshops, and citizen science initiatives, fostering co-creation and knowledge exchange between researchers, policymakers, and the public.

In addition, I contribute to IAS-related initiatives, including my involvement with the Belgian Scientific Council on Invasive Alien Species and FlatwormWatch. I have also worked on risk assessment studies aimed at identifying priority species and strengthening prevention strategies.

Qualifications
Degrees

• MSc in Biology (Evolution and Behaviour), University of Antwerp, 2021. Includes an Erasmus+ internship at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Conservation Biology, focused on "Wolf activity patterns in Plitvice Lakes National Park". 
• BSc in Biology, University of Antwerp, 2018

Employment history

• Research scientist Bio-Informed, Meise Botanic Garden, Jan 2023 - present

Projects

• OneBiosecurity Systems and Technology for People, Places and Pathways (OneSTOP) (Jan 2025 - present): EU-funded project addressing invasive alien species through improved detection, surveillance, and coordinated biosecurity strategies.
• Biodiversity Building Blocks for Policy (B3) (Mar 2023 - present): EU-funded project improving biodiversity monitoring through standardised data access and tools to support environmental policy.
• Transforming European Taxonomy through Training, Research, and Innovations (TETTRIs) (Dec 2022 - present): A project aiming to increase taxonomic capacity in European biodiversity hotspots.
• DiSSCo Flanders 2.0 (Jan 2025 - present)

Publications
FRIS Research Portal