Margarita del Val facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margarita del Val
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| Born | 1959 (age 65–66) |
| Alma mater | Autonomous University of Madrid |
| Spouse(s) | Enrique J. de la Rosa |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Spanish National Research Council, Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Centre |
| Doctoral advisor | Eladio Viñuela Díaz |
Margarita del Val Latorre, born in 1959, is a super smart Spanish scientist. She is a chemist, an immunologist (someone who studies how our bodies fight off sickness), and a virologist (someone who studies viruses). She helps lead a big project called Salud Global (which means "Global Health") for the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Margarita del Val was born in Madrid in 1959. Her parents, Manuel del Val and Consuelo Latorre, were both chemists. In 1976, Margarita started studying at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). This was a time of big changes in Spain.
Many students were protesting against the government. Because of this, classes were often canceled. Margarita and her friends used this time to read books and play games. One book she read explained how proteins are made in cells. This really interested her! It made her decide to study biochemistry. In 1985, she finished her main research project, called a thesis. Her supervisor was Eladio Viñuela Díaz.
Her Career as a Scientist
In the 1980s, Margarita del Val started working at the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Centre. This is a research center in Madrid. After getting her doctorate degree in 1986, she moved to West Germany. She spent two years studying viruses there. Then, she worked for three years at the University of Ulm.
In the 1990s, Margarita returned to Spain. She had developed a new way to design vaccines. These vaccines were based on tiny parts of cells called T-cell epitopes. She also spent time working in other countries. She worked at the National Institutes of Health in the United States. She also worked at McGill University in Canada. After that, she spent twenty years at the Carlos III Health Institute in Spain.
Helping with COVID-19 Research
In April 2020, Margarita del Val helped start a very important project. It was called Salud Global ("Global Health"). This project, run by the CSIC, helped over 300 Spanish research groups work together. Their goal was to study COVID-19. Margarita has shared her ideas about how Spain dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. She also asked for an investigation into how the country handled the situation.
Awards and Honors
Margarita del Val has received special recognition for her work.
- In 2015, she became a corresponding academician of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy.
- In 2021, she received the "Medalla de Honor a los Valores Sociales." This award was from Menéndez Pelayo International University. She earned it for all her important work in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personal Life
Margarita del Val is married to Enrique J. de la Rosa. He is also a biologist. They met at the UAM in 1977. They have a son and a daughter.
See also
In Spanish: Margarita del Val para niños
