Margarita Salas

Margarita Salas Falgueras (Canero, Asturias, November 30, 1938-Madrid, November 7, 2019), i Marquesa de Canero was a Spanish biochemist. Graduated in chemical sciences, she was a disciple of Severo Ochoa, with whom she worked in the United States after working with Alberto Sols in Madrid with the also scientist Eladio Viñuela, both of whom were responsible for promoting Spanish research in the field of biochemistry and of molecular biology.

She began the development of molecular biology in Spain, and developed her work as an ad honorem professor at the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), at the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center in Madrid (CSIC-UAM). She was also an academic of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) since 2003, and a censor of the Governing Board since 2008. In 2016 she became the first woman to receive the Echegaray Medal, awarded by the Royal Academy of Exact and Physical Sciences. and natural...

Biography

She was the daughter of a teacher, Margarita Falgueras Gatell (1912/1913-2014), she had two siblings, also scientists: José Salas Falgueras (1937-2008) and María Luisa "Marisa" Salas Falgueras Severo Ochoa—whom she can be considered a disciple of hers—influenced her, encouraging her interest in the sciences.

He studied at the Colegio de la Asunción in Gijón from the age of three to sixteen, when he finished the PREU and went to Madrid to take the Chemistry and Medicine entrance exams. She entered the Faculty of Chemistry and in the summer of 1958 she met Severo Ochoa, who had an influence on her career and guided her towards biochemistry. She obtained a degree in Chemical Sciences from the Complutense University in 1960, with an outstanding grade. She completed her doctorate under the direction of Alberto Sols, obtaining the degree of Doctor of Sciences from the Complutense University in 1963 (thesis:Specificity anomeric glucosephosphate isomerase and other enzymes and anomerization of hexosephosphates).

In 1964, together with her husband, Eladio Viñuela, whom she married in 1963, she emigrated to the United States, to the Scientific Department of the School of Medicine of the University of New York, where they both remained until 1967. In that year They returned to Spain with the help of American funding to develop molecular biology.

On November 7, 2019, she died of cardiorespiratory arrest after a complication of a digestive ailment for which she was going to undergo surgery.

Scientific career

Early work

After graduating in Chemical Sciences, Margarita Salas entered the laboratory of Alberto Sols, a pioneer of biochemistry in Spain. Under the direction of Sols, she completed her doctoral thesis on the anomeric specificity of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, and once finished, she went for three years (1964-1967) to the United States with her husband, to work as a researcher in the New York University with Severo Ochoa. It was one of the best stages of her life from a scientific and cultural point of view.

DNA polymerase of the bacteriophage Φ29 virus

Among his greatest scientific contributions is the determination of the directionality of the reading of genetic information, during his time in Severo Ochoa's laboratory, and the discovery and characterization of the DNA polymerase of phage Φ29, which has multiple biotechnological applications due to its very high DNA amplification capacity.

She was an honorary professor at the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center, a joint research center of the CSIC and the Autonomous University of Madrid, where she continued working with the phage (bacteriophage virus) Φ29, very useful in biotechnology research and which infects a non-pathogenic bacteria, Bacillus subtilis. During the 2020 pandemic, a research project was launched in Spain to apply the DNA polymerase of phage Φ29 to achieve a method for detecting COVID-19.

Scientific activity

Margarita Salas' curriculum vitae has more than three hundred and fifty publications in international magazines or books and about ten in national media. She was also the holder of eight patents, and gave some four hundred lectures.

Among his most important scientific contributions, the determination that the reading of the genetic message takes place in direction 5' to 3'; the demonstration that the histone-like protein p6 cooperates with the p4 protein in the repression of the early promoter A2c and in the activation of the late promoter A3; demonstration that the UAA nonsense triplet results in polypeptide chain termination in an Escherichia coli system; the discovery of a glucokinase specific for glucose phosphorylation in rat liver whose synthesis depends on insulin; and his research on the DNA polymerase of the bacteriophage virus Φ29.

Role as a woman in science

When Margarita returned to Spain in 1967, she was not known for her contributions to science, but for being the wife of Eladio Viñuelas. Furthermore, her scientific work was not recognized as a woman, since at that time female scientists were not recognized for their work.^{[citation required]} In most cases, the findings were attributed to men.^{[citation needed]}

She was a pioneer in many tasks that until then had only been carried out by men. Margarita did not consider this a merit, but rather an easy thing: as no woman had done before, it was easy for her to be the first. ^{[ citation needed ]}

When he won the Severo Ochoa Research Prize, Alberto Sols, who had directed his thesis, admitted that when he arrived at his laboratory to do his doctorate, he decided to give him a minor research topic so that it wouldn't matter if he didn't get it.

Margarita did not give importance to the problem, saying that it was not a problem of Alberto, but of the time in which they lived. Margarita helped make science accessible to women.^{[citation needed]}

She always wanted to stay in touch with youth and inspire other women to become interested in science. Margarita Salas was also known for her work as a mentor to many scientists such as María Blasco, Manuel Serrano, Marisol Soengas and Jesús Ávila.

Recognitions

He belonged to several of the most prestigious national and international scientific societies and institutes, collaborating and being a member of the editorial board of important scientific publications. She obtained different awards, being named European Researcher 1999 by UNESCO and received the King James I Research Award in 1994. She was appointed director of the Institute of Spain (1995-2003), an organization that brings together the entire of the Royal Spanish Academies.

He chaired the Severo Ochoa Foundation and annually directed the course of the “Eladio Viñuela” School of Molecular Biology, within the summer courses of the Menéndez Pelayo International University in Santander.

He was a member of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, of the Royal Spanish Academy, of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, of the American Society for Microbiology and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, among others.

In addition, she was named an honoris causa doctor by the universities Rey Juan Carlos, of Oviedo, of Extremadura, of Murcia, Polytechnic of Madrid, of Jaén, of Cádiz, of Málaga, by the UNED, the International Menéndez Pelayo, the Carlos III of Madrid and the one of Burgos.

In 1992, a Secondary Education Institute in Majadahonda (Community of Madrid) was named after him. Currently there is another Secondary Education Institute named the same in Seseña (Toledo), a UFIL (Training and Labor Insertion Unit) in Fuenlabrada (Madrid) also bears its name.

She was the adopted daughter of Concejo de Valdés (Asturias) since 1997, and of Gijón since 2004.

Margarita Salas was also known for her work as a trainer for scientists such as María Blasco, Manuel Serrano, Marisol Soengas, Jesús Ávila or the businesswoman Cristina Garmendia.

In May 2007 she was appointed member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, thus becoming the first Spanish woman to become part of the institution. She was appointed member of the Royal Spanish Academy in 2003, and censor of the same in 2008.

She was distinguished with several streets in her honor: in 2006 a street in Gijón, in 2009 one in Arroyo de la Encomienda, and in 2011 another street in the Almería Scientific-Technological Park (PITA).

In 2014 it was selected by the magazine Quo, in collaboration with the Higher Council for Scientific Research and the Higher Sports Council, for the first "Spanish Selection of Science", made up of thirteen scientists. prominent Spaniards on an international scale.

In March 2015, the Casas de Asturias in Alcalá de Henares and Alcobendas and the Asturian centers of Madrid and Tres Cantos distinguished her with the title of "Asturiana Universal" for her "brilliant and successful international career as a scientist and researcher in the field of molecular biology.

She was named Marchioness of Canero on July 11, 2008, by Royal Decree. The noble title, which will be hereditary, was granted to her for her "dedication to scientific research on molecular biology, carried out in an intense and rigorous manner." throughout his entire professional life»

In 2016 he was awarded the Echegaray Medal from the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences. It is the highest scientific award granted by this institution, created at the request of Santiago Ramón y Cajal in 1905, after the Nobel Prize was awarded to José Echegaray. Salas was the first woman to receive this award, which has only been awarded 14 times in more than 100 years of history.

In 2018, from the IES Margarita Salas that bears her name in the capital of Seville, a tribute was paid to her by students carrying out tests related to the life and findings of Margarita Salas.

In April 2018 she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and dedicated her speech to bacteriophage Φ29.

In 2018 it was included in the Periodic Table of Scientists to commemorate the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements in 2019, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Mendeleev's publication.

In December 2018, the name change of the Eliseo Godoy school (Franco teacher and soldier) in Zaragoza to Margarita Salas was approved.

In December 2019, the Gijón City Council named the Knowledge Mile as Margarita Salas. The Margarita Salas Knowledge Mile consists of an axis of various cultural, educational, scientific and business facilities to the east of the city of Gijón.

On December 10, 2019, the CSIC Biological Research Center was renamed the Margarita Salas Biological Research Center.

In 2020, the name of a new species of gastropod discovered in Canary waters (Rissoella salasae) is dedicated to it.

In 2021 Correos (Spain) dedicated a postal stamp within the series Women in science.

Prizes

• 1994: King James I Prize for Basic Research.
• 1997: Medal of the Principality of Asturias.
• 1999: Premio Nacional de Investigación Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
• 2000: L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science
• 2001: Chosen among 100 Women of the CenturyXX. which opened the way to equality in the centuryXXI by the Council of Women of the Community of Madrid.
• 2002: Premio Isabel Ferrer de la Generalitat Valenciana.
• 2002: Gold Medal of the Community of Madrid.
• 2003: Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X el Sabio.
• 2004: Premio Internacional de Ciencia e Investigación de la Fundación Cristóbal Gabarrón.
• 2005: Gold Medal of Medal to Merit at Work.
• 2005: Medalla de Honor de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
• 2006: Award for Excellence granted by FEDEPE (Spanish Federation of Women Directives, Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs).
• Gold Medal of the Official College of Veterinaries of the Principality of Asturias.
• 2008: XL Premio Lección Conmemorativa Jiménez Díaz. Fundación Conchita Rábago.
• 2009: Title of Honorary Ambassador of the Spanish Brand, category of Science and Innovation, which fails the Spanish Renamed Brands Forum with the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
• 2009: Premio Mujer Líder 2009, awarded by Fundación Rafael del Pino, Aliter and Merck.
• 2009: “All a professional life” Award from the Mapfre Foundation.
• 2011: Women Progressive Award, awarded by the Federation of Progressive Women.
• 2014: Award for Chemical Excellence, awarded by the General Council of Official Colleges of Chemicals of Spain.
• 2015: Madrid Woman ́s Week Women and Science Award, awarded by the Woman ́s Week Foundation.
• 2016: Medalla Echegaray of the Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences.
• 2018: III Manchaarte Award.
• 2019: European Inventor Award 2019 in the category Lifetime Achievement and category Popular Prize.
• 2019: Medalla al Mérito en la Investigación y en la Educación Universitaria, en su categoría de Oro.