# Patricia Dankers

**Source**: https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/patricia-dankers
**Parent**: https://www.tue.nl/en/education/bachelor-college/bachelor-chemical-engineering-and-chemistry

Full Professor (Part-time)

# Patricia Dankers

- [Personal URL](http://www.dankerslab.nl "Personal site")
- [PURE url](https://research.tue.nl/en/persons/patricia-yw-dankers/ "Research Portal")

##### Contact

[p.y.w.dankers@tue.nl](#)

[+31 40 247 5451](tel:+31402475451)

[Helix-oost 4.36](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.44618,5.488216)

##### Department / Institute

[Institute for Complex Molecular Systems](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/institutes/institute-for-complex-molecular-systems)

[Biomedical Engineering](https://www.tue.nl/en/our-university/departments/biomedical-engineering)

##### Group

[ICMS Core](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/icms-core-member)

[Biomedical Materials and Chemistry](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/biomedical-materials-and-chemistry)

## RESEARCH PROFILE

Patricia Dankers is full professor of Biomedical Materials at the department of Biomedical Engineering of Eindhoven University of Technology. The mission of the DankersLab is to provide material solutions for regenerative medicine through development of functional biomaterials based on supramolecular chemistry.

For more information visit the website of Patricia Dankers' lab: [www.dankerslab.nl](http://www.dankerslab.nl)

> My dream is to introduce complex functions into materials using various supramolecular formulation and screening approaches; to ultimately control biology in the human body.

## ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Patricia Dankers studied chemistry at Radboud University (Nijmegen, the Netherlands), where she majored in biochemistry and organic chemistry. In 2002, she started her PhD research at Eindhoven University of Technology under supervision of prof. E.W. (Bert) Meijer, developing and studying supramolecular bioactive biomaterials by introducing a modular approach. After her PhD defense in 2006, she became a research scientist at the SupraPolix company in Eindhoven and a researcher at the laboratory of Pathology and Medical Biology at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). At UMCG she initiated the Dutch bioartificial kidney project together with Prof. Marja J.A. van Luyn. In 2008, Patricia Dankers was appointed as assistant professor at Eindhoven University of Technology. In 2010 she was a visiting professor in the research group of Prof. Samuel I. Stupp at the Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago (USA). In 2013, she defended her second PhD thesis, this time in the medical sciences and at Groningen University, with her study on kidney regenerative medicine. In 2014, she was appointed associate professor at TU/e and in 2017 full professor of Biomedical Materials. Patricia Dankers is a Veni (2008) and Vidi (2017) laureate and received an ERC starting grant in 2012. She has been awarded various grants and awards, such as the DSM Science & Technology award and the Pauline van Wachem award (for the best thesis in biomaterials research and tissue engineering). Since 2015 she is a member of De Jonge Akademie (DJA) of the KNAW and in 2016 she joined the board of DJA.

## Recent Publications

- [See all publications](https://research.tue.nl/en/persons/patricia-yw-dankers//publications/)

- [### Controlling Intestinal Organoid Polarity using Synthetic Dynamic Hydrogels Decorated with Laminin-Derived IKVAV Peptides

  Advanced Healthcare Materials

  (2026)

  Laura Rijns,Joost A.P.M. Wijnakker,Victor A. Veenbrink,Riccardo Bellan,Fenna W.B. Craenmehr,Simone I.S. Hendrikse,Johnick F. van Sprang,Wim de Lau,E.W. Meijer,Hans Clevers](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/86d29502-b00a-4bc4-aa28-9a04bba04253)
- [### Controlling the Assembly of Ureido-Pyrimidinone Supramolecular Monomers by Tuning the Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Balance

  Journal of Polymer Science

  (2026)

  Riccardo Bellan,Annalisa Cardellini,Claudio Perego,Lars J.M.M. Paffen,Laura Rijns,Giovanni M. Pavan,Patricia Y.W. Dankers](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/b3eca113-4841-4518-8dcb-b9fd7ee0aaf1)
- [### Monomer exchange dynamics in ureido-pyrimidinone supramolecular polymers via molecular simulations

  Journal of materials chemistry. B

  (2025)

  Annalisa Cardellini,Cristina Caruso,Laura Rijns,Patricia Y.W. Dankers,Giovanni M. Pavan,Claudio Perego](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/5dcfb9b6-046d-4890-aef1-85548139b04d)
- [### Using a Supramolecular Approach to Engineer Modular Hydrogel Platforms for Culturing Protoplasts – from General Tissue Engineering to Cellular Agriculture

  Advanced Biology

  (2025)

  Maritza M. Rovers,Erik J. Slootweg,Ferdinand C.O. Los,Patricia Y.W. Dankers](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/3c3cfee8-ce0a-4af8-bf2d-da0b8335817f)
- [### Biohybrid corneal stromal tissue formation using keratocytes encapsulated in supramolecular microgels

  Materials Today Bio

  (2025)

  Maritza M. Rovers,Annika F. Vrehen,Patricia Y.W. Dankers](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/98f3f779-d8bc-4d61-8a5f-2e02d2ca06da)

## Current Educational Activities

- [Bio-organic chemistry](https://tue.osiris-student.nl/#/onderwijscatalogus/extern/cursus/?cursuscode=8RB10&collegejaar=2025)
- [Materials science](https://tue.osiris-student.nl/#/onderwijscatalogus/extern/cursus/?cursuscode=8BA110&collegejaar=2025)

## Ancillary Activities

- Directeur, Dankers Group BV
- adviseursrol en oprichter, Oprichting UPyTher & UPyTher Founders BV
- Penningmeester, De E.W. Meijer Stichting
- Vice-chair, DWI - Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien
- Lid wetenschappelijke adviesraad, Hudson River Biotechnology
- Lid, Koninklijke Holandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen
- Lid, Programmaraad Smart Biomaterials Consortium
- Oprichter en CSO, Enfivre BV en VivArt-X BV
- Oprichter en MT, Helmond Biotech-materials Hub (HBH)
- Member, Academia Europaea
- CEO, SyMO-Chem
- Lid, Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen