Draft:Daniela Wilson

Daniela A. Wilson is a Romanian scientist of organic chemistry, best known for her research regarding Self-assembly, polymer chemistry and nanomotors. She currently holds the position of professor of Systems chemistry at Radboud University Nijmegen and holds a chair at the Institute for Molecules and Materials. Among the awards she has received, the first NWO Athena award in 2019 Athena Award. and is a recipient of both the NWO Aspasia 2016 award and Westerdijk Talentimpuls award 2018.

Career
Daniela Wilson received her BSc degree in Chemistry and Physics with distinction from the Gheorghe Asachi Technical University in 2001 and a MSc in Environmental Chemistry with distinction from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in 2003. She subsequently obtained her PhD in macro-molecular chemistry from Gheorghe Asachi Technical University in 2007 under the supervision of Prof. Dan Scutaru. Her doctoral thesis 'research into the relationship between structure and properties in mesogenic systems' was awarded suma cum laude. During her PhD, Wilson was awarded fellowships as a visiting researcher at Himeji Institute of Technology University of Hyogo and as a Marie Curie Fellow, at the University of Hull in the UK.

Wilson moved to the United States in 2007 as a research fellow at University of Pennsylvania where she joined the group of Professor Virgil Percec. In 2010 Wilson moved to the Netherlands where she initially worked with Jan van Hest and Roeland Nolte. In 2012 Wilson was made Assistant Professor in Bio-organic chemistry and tenured in 2016. After a brief period as Associate Professor she became acting head of Bio-organic chemistry in 2016 and was appointed as full professor to set up a group in Systems chemistry at Radboud University Nijmegen in 2017.

Early Career
Her early career focused on studying the effects of shape on the self-assembly of liquid crystalline materials . Wilson expanded her interests at University of Pennsylvania into methodology in organic synthesis utilising nickel mediated cross-coupling reactions for the synthesis of dendritic building blocks as well as into self-assembly in aqueous systems. In the field of self-assembly in condensed matter Wilson has

Contributions to Research
1. Development of Smart Nanomaterials

Self-Assembled Nanomotors: Prof. Wilson has significantly contributed to the understanding and development of self-assembled nanomotors. Her research in this area involves the design of tiny motors that can move autonomously in specific environments. These motors have potential applications in targeted drug delivery, environmental remediation, and as active components in microfluidic devices. Responsive Nanocarriers: She has also worked extensively on developing nanocarriers that respond to various stimuli such as pH, temperature, or light. This research is crucial for targeted drug delivery systems, where the release of therapeutic agents can be precisely controlled at the site of action, minimizing side effects.

2. Biomedical Applications

Targeted Drug Delivery: Wilson's work in creating nanoscale delivery systems has shown promise in improving the efficacy and safety of various therapeutics. By targeting drugs directly to diseased cells, these systems reduce the impact on healthy cells, potentially revolutionizing treatments for cancer and other diseases. Diagnostics and Imaging: Her research includes developing nanoparticles that aid in the diagnosis and imaging of diseases. These nanoparticles can be designed to enhance contrast in imaging techniques like MRI, providing clearer and more precise images of pathological sites.

To date, Wilson has published over 230 peer reviewed scientific articles, cited more than 11,000 times and has an h-index of 48.