Patricia Dankers, professor of Biomedical Materials at Eindhoven University of Technology, wins the KNCV Gold Medal 2020. The prize is the highest Dutch award for top chemical talent. In the jury report, Dankers is described as 'a particularly strong candidate, who stands out because of the strong link between fundamental materials chemistry and clinical applicability'. The KNCV Gold Medal will be presented in December during the CHAINS chemistry conference.
Prof.dr.ir. Patricia Dankers leads a group in Eindhoven that develops biomaterials that can be used in regenerative medicine. This means that these materials are designed with the aim of ultimately reversing damage to organs, such as heart tissue after a heart attack. 'You can recognize a unique line of its own in Dankers' research', says jury chairman Huskens. 'That was an important criterion for awarding this prize'.
CV
Dankers studied chemistry at Radboud University in Nijmegen. During her PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology in the group of Prof. Bert Meijer, she combined the fields of biochemistry and supramolecular chemistry. After defending her thesis in 2006, she worked at the UMC in Groningen, where she laid the foundation for a project to develop a bioartificial kidney together with Prof. Marja van Luyn. She successfully completed her second PhD research in regenerative medicine at the University of Groningen in 2013. After working at Northwestern University in Chicago, among other places, she was appointed professor at Eindhoven University of Technology in 2017.
Jury report
'Dankers has an exceptionally strong national visibility', according to the jury report. For example, she is chair of the Chemie Round Table, one of the disciplinary advisory committees of the NWO. In addition, she was a board member of the Young Academy for a long time, a platform of the KNAW for young researchers from various disciplines. The Gold Medal winner also stood out in other ways. 'Dankers has an impressive CV: she is exceptionally active and is involved in various forms of outreach. She collaborates with various scientific disciplines, but also with industry and the medical world. In addition, she has a unique profile with a strong background in chemistry, but also the connection with medical practice.'
Gold Medal
The KNCV Gold Medal is awarded annually and is the most important Dutch award for researchers who have distinguished themselves in the field of chemical research in the broadest sense. Researchers up to forty years of age who are expected to become leaders in their field are eligible for the award. The Gold Medal has been awarded to top chemical talent in the Netherlands since 1963.
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