Dr Marta Shahbazi, an award-winning University of Cambridge researcher, died in the Spanish train disaster on Wednesday while travelling to receive a prize for scientific excellence.
The mother of two was an affiliate associate professor at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge. She had been due to collect the Spanish Society for Developmental Biology's scientific excellence award at a conference in El Rompido, Andalusia.
The crash occurred when a state-operated Renfe high-speed train struck the back of a stationary Iryo train near Urda, in Toledo province, south of Madrid. At least 69 people were killed. More than 540 passengers were on board both trains.
The LMB described her death as "a profound shock and a huge loss." In a statement, the institute said: "Marta was an inspiring, talented and passionate scientist whose research shed light on the earliest steps in the development of human embryos and how errors occur that lead to failed pregnancies."
The LMB also noted her role as a role model within the scientific community. "As a wife and mother of two young children, Marta wrote eloquently about balancing her family and career, serving as a much-admired role model for a 'mother scientist', a term she used to describe herself," the institute said.
Shahbazi led the Shahbazi Laboratory at the LMB, located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. She is also listed on the University of Cambridge website as a principal investigator at its Stem Cell Institute (CSCI).
CSCI director Prof Bertie Gottgens said the institute's community was "shocked and deeply saddened" by her death. "Across both institutes, she was highly respected for her pioneering research on early human development and valued for her collaborative spirit. Her creativity, passion, and generosity will be greatly missed," he said.
Dr Roser Vento-Tormo, a group leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, paid personal tribute to Shahbazi. "Marta Shahbazi was a beautiful person: a close collaborator, a treasured friend, and an inspiration to me both as a scientist and as a mother," she wrote.
"As a scientist, we shared so many dreams. We co-supervised two students together, and I cannot describe how much joy it was to work alongside her. Some of our work will still be published in the coming months, and anyone who reads it will feel the passion she poured into everything she did," Vento-Tormo added. "My thoughts are with her family. Anyone who knew Marta could see how deeply they were a unit, and how much they meant to her."
The Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), based in Santiago de Compostela, where Shahbazi's aunt works, also paid tribute, describing her as "a brilliant young researcher." The CiMUS was among the first to confirm her death publicly.
Shahbazi completed her PhD at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre before joining the University of Cambridge as a post-doctoral fellow and then the LMB in 2020. Her work had been recognised with numerous awards and prizes throughout her career.
The disaster is described as one of the worst rail crashes in Europe's modern history and Spain's deadliest since 2013. It was also the country's second high-speed rail collision this year, with both crashes occurring on the line between Madrid and Seville.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the incident as a "tragedy" and promised a full investigation. Three days of national mourning were declared across the country.
