32 Facts About Margarita Salas

Margarita Salas started developing molecular biology in Spain and worked as an honorary associate professor of CSIC, at the Severo Ochoa Biology Center.

Margarita Salas was the first scientific woman ever elected to the Royal Spanish Academy.

Margarita Salas was raised into the Spanish nobility by King Juan Carlos I in Summer 2008 with the hereditary title of Marquesa de Canero.

Margarita Salas was an outspoken advocate of women and feminism in science.

Margarita Salas Falgueras was born on 30 November 1938 in Canero, a parish of Valdes, Asturias, Spain.

Margarita Salas was the daughter of Jose Salas Martinez, a psychiatric doctor who influenced her, encouraging her interest in science, and Margarita Falgueras Gatell, a teacher.

Margarita Salas had two brothers who were scientists: Jose Salas Falgueras and Maria Luisa "Marisa" Salas Falgueras.

Margarita Salas entered the faculty of Chemistry and in the summer of 1958 met Severo Ochoa, who had influence on her career and oriented her towards biochemistry.

Vinuela began a different field of research in 1970, studying the African plague virus, so that Margarita Salas would be recognised on her own merits.

Margarita Salas was a professor of molecular genetics at the Complutense University Faculty of Chemistry from 1968 to 1992.

Margarita Salas was a professor of research at the Severo Ochoa Center for Molecular Biology in Madrid from 1974, and its director from 1992 until January 1994.

Margarita Salas was president of the Spanish Society of Biochemistry from 1988 until 1992.

Margarita Salas then served as the director of the Foundation for Biomedical Research at the Gregorio Maranon Hospital, and of the Institute of Spain.

Margarita Salas was responsible for promoting Spanish research in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Margarita Salas was an honorary professor at the Spanish National Research Council in the field of biotechnology.

Margarita Salas was the first scientific woman elected in the Royal Spanish Academy.

Margarita Salas was appointed on 20 December 2001, and took up her seat on 4 June 2003.

On 11 July 2008, Margarita Salas was raised into the Spanish nobility by King Juan Carlos I with the hereditary title of Marquesa de Canero.

Margarita Salas supervised more than 40 doctoral students and published over 200 scientific articles.

Margarita Salas then worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the United States for three years at New York University with Severo Ochoa.

Margarita Salas published more than three hundred and fifty publications in international magazines or books and about ten in national media.

Margarita Salas has 8 patents, and presented papers at 398 conferences and seminars.

Margarita Salas took part on some of the most prestigious scientific societies and institutes nationally and internationally.

Margarita Salas was awarded with the Rey Jaime I Research Award in 1994.

Margarita Salas was a member of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Science, of the Royal Spanish Academy, of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, among others.

Margarita Salas was the "adopted daughter" of the Council of Valdes since 1997, and of Gijon since 2004.

Margarita Salas was known for her work as a mentor of many scientists such as Maria Blasco, Marisol Soengas and Jesus Avila de Grado.

Margarita Salas was reported as saying that she delayed motherhood until she was 37, when she felt that she could combine both professional and family life.

Margarita Salas died on 7 November 2019 in Madrid aged 80.

Margarita Salas won the L'Oreal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science in its first year, 2000.

Margarita Salas was a member of Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, European Academy of Sciences and Arts, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Academy of Microbiology, United States National Academy of Sciences, and the Severo Ochoa Foundation.

Margarita Salas was awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Oviedo, University of Extremadura, University of Murcia and the University of Cadiz.