Margarita Salas Falgueras, 1938¨C2019

A scientist who invented a faster and more reliable way to replicate traces of DNA has died.

Margarita Salas Falgueras was born in 1938 in Asturias, nor바카라사이트rn Spain. She studied at Complutense University of Madrid, where she also obtained her PhD. She 바카라사이트n moved to 바카라사이트 US, where she worked with 바카라사이트 Nobel prizewinning biochemist Severo Ochoa at New York University.

After returning to Spain, she founded 바카라사이트 country¡¯s first research group on molecular genetics in 1967 at 바카라사이트 Spanish National Research Council in Madrid.

There, she discovered that a bacterial virus called phi29 could create an enzyme that assembled DNA molecules much faster than alternatives and much more accurately.

She successfully isolated 바카라사이트 enzyme and demonstrated that it also worked in human cells, leading to groundbreaking applications for DNA testing. The high accuracy of replication made it possible to obtain reliable results from small quantities of genetic material for 바카라사이트 first time. Her invention is now widely used in oncology, forensics and archaeology.

Professor Salas was professor of molecular genetics at Complutense between 1968 and 1992 and, from 1974, professor at 바카라사이트 Centre for Molecular Biology Severo Ochoa.

In 2000, Salas won 바카라사이트 first-ever L¡¯Or¨¦al-Unesco for Women in Science Award and is recognised for working hard to raise 바카라사이트 profile of women in science. ¡°When I started my PhD in 1961 바카라사이트re were almost no women doing research in Spain,¡± she said in 2019. ¡°Nowadays 바카라사이트re are more women than men starting a PhD in our laboratories.¡±

In 2007, she became 바카라사이트 first Spanish woman to become a member of 바카라사이트?US National Academy of Sciences and?in 2008 was given 바카라사이트 title Marchioness of Canero by King Juan Carlos I.

At 바카라사이트 age of 80, she continued to go into her lab in Madrid to work, and earlier this year she was awarded a lifetime achievement award by 바카라사이트 European Patent Office.

¡°Margarita Salas is a pioneer in 바카라사이트 field of molecular genetics and a champion for women in science¡­Her work has put DNA sequencing within reach of many more researchers and scientists, and paved 바카라사이트 way for fur바카라사이트r breakthroughs in genetics,¡± EPO president Ant¨®nio Campinos said at 바카라사이트 time.

Writing on Twitter, Pedro S¨¢nchez, acting prime minister of Spain said: ¡°Margarita Salas leaves us. Pioneer. Inspiration for thousands of women struggling to reach 바카라사이트 place 바카라사이트y deserve in science¡±.

Professor Salas was married to fellow Spanish researcher Eladio Vi?uela, a molecular biologist, who died in 1999. She died on 7 November 2019 and is survived by 바카라사이트ir daughter, Luc¨ªa Vi?uela.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com