Graça Carapinheiro is graduated in Economics in the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto in 1976. Is Doctorate in Sociology in ISCTE-Lisbon University Institute in 1990, where she has also obtained the title of agreggated in Sociology in 2005. Currently is a Full Professor at the Department of Sociology of the School of Sociology and Public Policy (ESPP) of ISCTE-Lisbon University Institute, since 2006.

Has made part of the founding group of the Center for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES/ISCTE-IUL), where has been developing research in Sociology of Health since the 1980s. Currently is co-coordinator of Group 3: "Family, Generations and Health”.

Has inaugurated the Sociology of Health in Portugal with the doctoral thesis defended in 1990, and later published in book, Knowledge and Power in the Hospital. A sociology of hospital wards (1st edition:1993). At the ISCTE, in 1992, has created for the first time the optional curricular unit Health, Medicine and Society in the first cycle of sociological studies of ISCTE-IUL, which was later reformulated as Sociology of Health, and that until today continues to appear in the offer of optional units, attracting students of several courses.

In 2007 has created the Master in Sociology of Health and Illness, which had two editions and from which resulted several Master's thesis, and ldoctoral thesis in Health Sociology, some of which have adressed original topics.

Has been responsible for the conclusion of twenty four PhD final thesis, twenty four master's thesis and eight postdoctoral thesis on different sociological topics of health, medicine and society.

Although their scientific activities have been marked by the dominance of the sociology of medicine, health and illness, there are two other aspects that characterize them. The first one refers to the production of studies about national realities, such as the scientific community, scientific and technical authority, science in the Assembly of the Republic, professions and professional associations, the imprisonment of non-nationals, globalization. The second one refers to scientific partnerships with Brazilian universities, such as UFRGS (Department of Sociology) and UNIFESP (Department of Preventive Medicine of the Paulista School of Medicine), financed by important Brazilian institutions such as CAPES, CNPq, and FAPESP, which have been responsible for granting scholarships to Brazilian doctoral and postdoctoral students in CIES, of whom has been the scientific supervisor, as well as the participation of CIES researchers in important studies about the brazilian health system, which led to invitations to conferences and communications in both countries.

During the first decade of the 90's of the last century developed  scientific evaluation activity in the calls opened by the FCT for the financing of doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships for young researchers who submitted applications in the area of Sociology and Demography. Has been a member of the jury for the CES Prize for Young Social Scientists of Portuguese Official Language (2007, 2009, 2011 and 2019).

Her publications include six books, in authorship, co-authorship and organization of collective works, as well as twenty one book chapters and twenty seven articles.

She has participated in the organization of twenty eight scientific meetings, of which stands out the First National Meeting of Sociology of Health, in 1985; the Seminar "The Hospital of the 21st Century" at the Training Center of the Hospital São Francisco Xavier, in Lisbon, 1999; the organization of the Interim Conference of ISA RC 52 "State, Political Power and Professional Structures: New Patterns and New Challenges", Lisbon, ISCTE, 2000; the organization of Research Forum of CIES - The multiple perspectives of the social sciences on health, Lisbon, ISCTE-IUL, 2012; member of the Scientific Committee of the 17th Biennial Conference of the European Society for Health and Medical Sociology (ESHMS), to be held at ISCTE-IUL between 6 and 8 June 2018.

As far as editorial activities were concerned, has been Director of the Review Sociology - Problems and Practices, CIES / ISCTE - IUL, from 1991 to 1993. She is a member of the editorial board and / or the scientific board of journals, like Sociology, Problems and Practices; Interface - Communication, Health, Education (São Paulo - Brazil) in the biennium 2014-2015; Portuguese Journal of General Practice of the Portuguese Association of Physicians of General Practice; Sociologies in Dialogue, of the Brazilian Society of Sociology, since 2015; Frontiers.

Has received four scientific awards: in 2011, the Paulo Elias Prize by the Paulista Public Health Association for the research project "The Multiple Logics of Building Care Networks of the SUS: going beyond government regulation of access and use of health services" and three Ciência-IUL Awards, in 2015, 2017, 2018.

Between 2010-2011 has been a Consultant to the Minister of Health, Dr. Ana Jorge.

Since 2018 is member of rhe Council of Citizens of the School of  Medicine, University of Lisbon. 

Has received the title Emeritus Professor of Sociology of ISCTE-IUL in 14th December 2019.