Biography

Luisa De Cola was born in Messina, Italy. She received her PhD in Chemistry at the University of Messina in 1983 under the supervision of Raffaello Romeo. Subsequently, she received a NIH postdoctoral fellowship to work with Lidia Vallarino at the Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA, where she carried out research for 2 years. She then worked for 4 years as a group leader under Vincenzo Balzani at the National Research Council, CNR, in Bologna. In 1990, she became an Assistant Professor at the University of Bologna. In 1998 she was awarded a Full Professorship at the University of Amsterdam, as chair of Molecular Photonic Materials. In 2005, she moved to the University of Münster as Full Professor and Chair of Nanoelectronics and Nanophotonics. In 2012, she moved to the University of Strasbourg as the ISIS AXA chair in Supramolecular and Biomaterials Chemistry. Since 2012 she is also adjunct Scientist at the Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Germany

The research work of Prof. De Cola is predominantly in 2 main areas: a) luminescent and electro-luminescent materials for optical and electroluminescent devices, and b) nanomaterials for imaging diagnostics and therapy. In the former, the interest lies in phosphorescent transition metal complexes, such as platinum(II), iridium(III), rhenium(I) or copper(I) compounds, as suitable components for energy-saving optical devices. Through rational design of structure, modulation of emission color towards development of challenging UV, blue emitters and white light generation is achieved. Highly efficient electro-optical devices including OLEDs, PLEDs and LEECs, and devices based on electrochemically generated luminescence have been developed. In the second area, interest lies in self assembly of molecules and nanoparticles in defined structure, typically involving fibers, micelles, vesicles, or gels. The structures are dynamically reversible and the self-assembly can induce properties such as change in (or turn on of) emission color, enhancement, or even variation in reactivity and functionality. Prof. De Cola has published over 280 papers, 28 patents, and she has a H index of 54.

Luisa De Cola has been the recipient of several awards: Prize for Chemistry of the "Accademia di Science Fisiche e Maternatiche di Napoli" (1993), Federchimica National Prize "per un future intelligente" (1995), International Prize of the European Photochemistry Association "Grammaticakis-Neumann" (1995), IUPAC prize for most distinguished woman in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering (2011), Gutenberg Chair Award (2012). In 2014 she became a member of the German Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina. In 2014 she received the International Prize for Chemistry from the Academia dei Lincei (Tartufari Prize) given by the President of the Republic of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano (2014) and also the title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur appointed by the President of the Republic of France, François Hollande