On 8 May KNAW will present seventeen new members, such as Patricia Dankers and Lukas Kapitein. Both active within the EWUU alliance. They have been selected from a large number of nominations by expert juries in each scientific and scholarly field. The new members – ten women and seven men – don’t just excel in their research; they also attach great importance to playing a role in society as scientists. They will be officially installed on 29 September 2025.
Lukas Kapitein
Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biophysics at Utrecht University
Like a 21st-century Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Lukas Kapitein, combines research work with improving research instruments and methods. The main focus of his work as a biomedical researcher is to reveal the processes that occur within cells. With his innovations in microscopic imaging, he has, for example, significantly advanced our knowledge of brain cells, and he is currently applying these techniques to improve our understanding of brain diseases. Kapitein’s innovative techniques are now also being used by other researchers and by the biomedical industry. Lukas plays an important role in the EWUU Centre for Living Technologies, as co-founder he fosters collaboration with three other institutions within the EWUU alliance.
Patricia Dankers
Professor of Biomedical Materials and Chemistry at Eindhoven University of Technology
Patricia has developed special materials that stimulate damaged tissue in the body to repair itself and that prompt stem cells and mini-organs in the laboratory to grow. This is a breakthrough in her field, regenerative medicine. A number of start-ups are using her materials for biomedical applications such as repairing blood vessels, delivering anti-cancer drugs into the abdominal cavity, and regenerating breast tissue after breast cancer. She is actively involved in some EWUU projects, such as Enhancement of plant cell regeneration capacity and Biofabrics for Plants. Dankers also demonstrates considerable social commitment: she actively brings science to the general public at schools, through appearances on radio and TV, online explainers, and collaboration with artists.
