Imtinen BEN HAJ JILANI holds a Ph.D. in Plant Production Sciences with a specialization in natural products, focusing particularly on medicinal and aromatic plants. She serves as an Assistant Professor at Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie (University of Carthage), where she teaches botany, genetic resources & biodiversity, and medicinal and aromatic plants.
Her research focuses primarily on ethnobotanical issues, particularly the valorization of the traditional knowledge and practices of rural Tunisian communities. By integrating socio-economic, cultural, and environmental dimensions, her work seeks to develop sustainable agriculture capable of adapting to global changes.
On the botanical front, her efforts are directed toward the conservation of heritage plants, with a particular emphasis on Tunisian endemic species. Under the aegis of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), she actively collaborates for the Mediterranean Red Lists of fresh water wetland plants and the Tunisian Red List of Monocotyledons, Gymnosperms and Pteridophytes. Her contributions extend to identifying and prioritizing Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and Important Plant Areas (IPAs), highlighting critical sites for biodiversity preservation.
Her extensive fieldwork and research have enabled her to contribute to numerous projects focused on integrated rural development, sustainable natural resource management, and biodiversity conservation.