Margarita Salas

Margarita Salas
Born	Margarita Salas Falgueras (1938-11-30) 30 November 1938 Canero, Valdés, Asturias, Spain
Died	7 November 2019(2019-11-07) (aged 80) Madrid, Spain
Other names	1st Marchioness of Canero
Occupation(s)	Biochemist, molecular geneticist
Years active	1963–2019
Known for	Discovery of bacteriophage Φ29 DNA polymerase; first female member of the Royal Spanish Academy; contributions to molecular biology in Spain

Margarita Salas Falgueras, known as the 1st Marchioness of Canero (30 November 1938 – 7 November 2019), was a distinguished Spanish biochemist and molecular genetics expert who significantly contributed to the advancement of molecular biology within Spain. She held the position of honorary associate professor at the Severo Ochoa Biology Center (UAM), affiliated with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

Her identification of the bacterial virus Φ29 DNA polymerase stands as Spain’s most commercially successful patent, acclaimed for facilitating quicker, simpler, and more dependable DNA replication techniques vital for genomic analysis. In 2016, she became the first woman to receive the prestigious Echegaray Medal from the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences. Additionally, she was the inaugural female scientist to be inducted into the Royal Spanish Academy and was honored with the 2019 European Inventor Award shortly before her passing.

In 2008, King Juan Carlos I bestowed upon her the hereditary noble title Marquesa de Canero. Throughout her professional journey, Salas mentored over 40 doctoral candidates and authored more than 200 scientific publications. She was also a vocal proponent of gender equality and feminism within the scientific community.

Early life and career

Born on 30 November 1938 in Canero, Valdés, Asturias, Spain, Margarita Salas Falgueras was the daughter of José Salas Martínez, a psychiatrist who nurtured her scientific curiosity, and Margarita Falgueras Gatell, an educator. She grew up alongside two siblings who also pursued careers in science: José Salas Falgueras and María Luisa "Marisa" Salas Falgueras.

At age sixteen, she relocated to Madrid to prepare for entrance examinations in Chemistry and Medicine. She enrolled in the Faculty of Chemistry where she encountered Severo Ochoa in 1958; his mentorship steered her interest toward biochemistry. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Complutense University of Madrid and earned her doctorate in 1963 under the supervision of Alberto Sols at the Spanish National Research Council.

In August 1964, Salas and her husband Eladio Viñuela—whom she had married in 1963—traveled to the United States to collaborate with Severo Ochoa. After returning to Spain, they founded a molecular biology research laboratory at Madrid’s Center for Biological Research. In 1970, Viñuela shifted his research focus to African plague virus studies to allow Salas to establish her own independent scientific reputation.

From 1968 until 1992, Salas served as a professor of molecular genetics at Complutense University. Concurrently, from 1974 onward, she was a research professor at the Severo Ochoa Center for Molecular Biology, later directing it between 1992 and 1994. She presided over the Spanish Society of Biochemistry (SEBBM) from 1988 to 1992, led the Foundation for Biomedical Research at Gregorio Marañón Hospital between 2001 and 2004, and headed the Institute of Spain from 1995 to 2003. Her leadership greatly influenced the progress of biochemistry and molecular biology research across Spain. She also held an honorary professorship at CSIC specializing in biotechnology.

Salas died on November 7, 2019, due to cardiac arrest following complications related to digestive surgery.

Scientific career

Salas holds the distinction of being the first female scientist to gain election to the Royal Spanish Academy, a position she was appointed to on 20 December 2001 and officially assumed on 4 June 2003. On 11 July 2008, King Juan Carlos I bestowed upon her the hereditary noble title of Marquesa de Canero. Throughout her career, she mentored more than 40 doctoral candidates and authored upwards of 200 scientific papers.

Initial Research

Following her graduation with a degree in chemistry, Salas joined the laboratory of Alberto Sols, where she completed her doctoral dissertation focusing on the specificity of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase. She subsequently pursued postdoctoral studies at New York University between 1964 and 1967 under the guidance of Severo Ochoa.

Φ29 Bacteriophage DNA Polymerase

During her tenure in Ochoa's laboratory, Salas clarified that messenger RNA is translated starting from its N-terminus (5' end) to the C-terminus (3' end), thereby elucidating the mechanism initiating protein synthesis. She also isolated and extensively studied the DNA polymerase enzyme from bacteriophage Φ29, recognized for its exceptional ability to amplify DNA with great efficiency. This enzyme facilitates swift and dependable replication of minute DNA quantities, offering valuable applications in disciplines such as archaeology, forensic science, and cancer research through a technique now referred to as multiple displacement amplification.

By 2012, Salas held the title of professor ad honorem at the Center for Molecular Biology Severo Ochoa (a joint institution of CSIC and Autonomous University of Madrid), where she continued investigating the Φ29 phage that infects the non-pathogenic bacterium Bacillus subtilis.

Research Contributions

Salas contributed over 350 publications internationally and approximately ten within Spain. She was granted eight patents and participated in nearly 400 scientific conferences and seminars worldwide. Her patent concerning the Φ29 bacteriophage generated more licensing revenue for the Spanish National Research Council than any other patent, representing half of its patent-derived income between 2003 and 2009.

Honors and Distinctions Throughout Her Career

Salas was affiliated with numerous esteemed scientific organizations and earned the Rey Jaime I Research Award in 1994. From 1995 to 2003, she directed the , led the Severo Ochoa Foundation, and oversaw the annual Molecular Biology School at Menéndez Pelayo International University.

Her memberships included the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Science, Royal Spanish Academy, European Academy of Sciences and Arts, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She received honorary doctorates from a wide array of universities such as Rey Juan Carlos, Oviedo, Extremadura, Murcia, Politécnica de Madrid, Jaén, Cádiz, Málaga, UNED, Menéndez Pelayo International University, Carlos III of Madrid, Burgos, and Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

Educational institutions in Majadahonda and Seseña have been named after her. Additionally, she was honored as an "adopted daughter" by the Councils of Valdés in 1997 and Gijón in 2004.

In May 2007, Salas became the first Spanish woman inducted into the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.

A school in Zaragoza was renamed to honor her in December 2018. Subsequently, on December 10, 2019, the CSIC Biological Research Center was designated as the Margarita Salas Biological Research Center. In recognition of her legacy, a newly identified gastropod species near the Canary Islands was named Rissoella salasae in 2020.

Her influence as a female scientist

Salas was acknowledged for guiding distinguished researchers such as María Blasco, Marisol Soengas, and Jesús Ávila de Grado.

Personal background

In 1963, Salas wed Eladio Viñuela [es]. Together, they had one daughter. She mentioned postponing motherhood until the age of 37 to effectively manage both her career and family responsibilities. Salas died on 7 November 2019 in Madrid at the age of 80.

Distinctions and recognitions

Salas was honored with the first-ever L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science in 2000. She was a member of several esteemed institutions including the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, European Academy of Sciences and Arts, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Academy of Microbiology, and the United States National Academy of Sciences. Additionally, she was associated with the Severo Ochoa Foundation and received honorary doctorates from the University of Oviedo, University of Extremadura, University of Murcia, and University of Cádiz.

Significant accolades include:

• 1991: UNESCO's Carlos J. Finlay Prize
• 1997: Medal awarded by the Principality of Asturias
• 1999: Santiago Ramon y Cajal National Research Award
• 2000: L'Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award
• 2001: Listed among the top 100 women advancing equality in the 21st Century by Madrid's Council of Women.
• 2002: Generalitat Valenciana's Isabel Ferrer Award; Gold Medal from the Community of Madrid.
• 2003: Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise.
• 2004: Cristóbal Gabarrón Foundation’s International Prize for Science and Research.
• 2005: Gold Medal for Merit in Work and Honorary Medal from Complutense University of Madrid.
• 2006: FEDEPE Excellence Award (Spanish Federation of Women Directors, Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs).
• 2007: Became the first Spanish woman inducted into the United States National Academy of Sciences.
• 2009: Received Gold Medal from Asturias’ College of Veterinarians; Honored as Spain Brand Ambassador for Science and Innovation; Awarded Women Leader Prize by Rafael del Pino, Aliter, Merck Foundation; and Lifetime Achievement Award from Mapfre Foundation.
• 2014: Excellence in Chemistry Award granted by the General Council of Associations of Chemists in Spain.
• 2016: Awarded the Medalla Echegaray, the highest distinction from the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences.
• 2017: Received Nature’s Lifelong Mentoring Award.
• 2018: Honored with ManchaArte Award.
• 2019: Earned both Lifetime Achievement and Audience Awards at the European Inventor Award hosted by the European Patent Office.

See also

• List of female scientists in the 21st century
• List of Spanish inventors and discoverers

External links

• Biography of Margarita Salas. Mujer y Ciencia
• Margarita Salas biography (PDF)