Jan van Hest

Jan van Hest develops advanced materials that are partly natural and partly synthetic. He created the first functioning imitation of a eukaryotic cell. He has recently been active in the emerging field of nanomedicine research. For example, he has developed nanocapsules containing enzymes that can be introduced into living cells to correct harmful processes. He has also constructed microreactors and nanoreactors that bring about reactions with enzymes. In all his work, Van Hest combines innovative synthetic strategies with a sharp focus on potential biomedical applications. Van Hest was a member of The Young Academy from 2005 to 2010.