Patricia Y.W. Dankers, PhD, PhD, is professor in Biomedical Materials & Chemistry in the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, and the department of Biomedical Engineering at TU/e.

Her particular research interests are on the design and synthesis of bioinspired functional biomaterials. Besides obtaining fundamental knowledge on the functioning of supramolecular biomaterials in a biological environment, translation of these biomaterials to biomedical applications is an important task within her research group.

She studied chemistry in Nijmegen. Her PhD studies were performed at TU/e, on supramolecular biomaterials (2006). She worked for SupraPolix, and the University Medical Center, Groningen. Her second PhD thesis work was performed in medical sciences on kidney regenerative medicine, in Groningen (2013). She worked as visiting scholar at Northwestern University, Chicago (2010). She climbed every step on the academic ladder, starting in 2008, ending in 2017 as full professor. She is a Veni and Vidi laureate (2008, 2017) and received an ERC starting grant (2012) and ERC Proof of Concept grant (2017). She has been awarded various awards, such as the KNCV Gold Medal (2020). She has been a member of the first Young Dutch Health Council (De Jonge Gezondheidsraad; 2011-2013), and a (board) member of the Young Academy (De Jonge Akademie of KNAW). She has been the chairman of the Netherlands Society of Biomaterials (NBTE), and is currently the chairman of the Round Table Chemistry of NWO. Furthermore, she founded the Eindhoven Young Academy of Engineering in 2017. She considers the promulgation of science to society a very important topic. Therefore, she developed and initiated teaching programs at primary schools. Additionally, she participated in projects related to arts and science, such as the Stichting MUST for the promulgation of Music and Science, and an exposition at the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Furthermore, she founded the company UPyTher in 2020.