Personal information
Fonseca Guerra’s research focuses on understanding weak chemical interactions in self-assembly of biological and supramolecular systems with Kohn-Sham MO theory and implementing design principles from computational investigations. These analyses of cooperativity, π assistance, and substituent effects in Watson-Crick base pairs, DNA mismatches, and quadruplexes have provided groundbreaking new insights into the nature of the hydrogen bond and supramolecular aggregation. Furthermore, her research encompasses understanding the role of metal ions in self-assembly processes. The development and the implementation of chemical analysis methods to understand the nature of hydrogen bonding and chemical bonding, in general, are also part of her research program.
Curriculum Vitae
2018 Professor of Supramolecular Quantum Biochemistry at VU Amsterdam
2017 - 2022 Extraordinary Professor of Applied Theoretical Chemistry at Leiden University
2015 Associate Professor at VU Amsterdam
2013 Visiting Professor at Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
2012 - 2015 Tenured Assistant Professor at VU Amsterdam
2011 Senior Research Associate with Scientific Computing & Modelling, The Netherlands
2011 Visiting scientist at the University of Girona, Spain
2010 - 2012 Consultant for Wacker Chemie, München, Germany
2006 - 2010 NRSC-C Senior Research Associate with Prof. Dr. F. M. Bickelhaupt, VU Amsterdam
2000 - 2005 NRSC-C Postdoctoral Associate with Prof. Dr. E. J. Baerends, VU Amsterdam
2000 Visiting scientist at the University of Girona, Spain
1998 Visiting scientist at the University of Girona, Spain
1995 Visiting scientist at the Cornell Theory Center, USA
1993 - 2000 Ph.D. in Theoretical Chemistry at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Promotor: Prof. Dr. E. J. Baerends, Prof. Dr. J. G. Snijders
1987 - 1993 Chemistry study (cum laude) Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Major: Theoretical Chemistry (Chemistry)
Minor 1: Chemical Informatics
Minor 2: Quantum Mechanics (Physics)