Cambridge Scientist Marta Shahbazi Dies in Spanish Train Crash
BBC News reports that Marta Shahbazi, a University of Cambridge scientist, died in the Spanish train disaster that claimed at least 69 lives, as confirmed by the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB).
Dr. Shahbazi, a cell biology expert and group leader at the LMB in Cambridge, was en route to an awards ceremony in Spain when the collision occurred near Urda, south of Madrid. She was due to receive a Spanish Society for Developmental Biology award for her research on early human development.
The LMB and CiMUS (Santiago de Compostela) have both expressed their condolences, praising Dr. Shahbazi's contributions to science. Her aunt, a colleague at CiMUS, shared the news of her niece's passing on social media.
The train crash, considered one of Europe's worst rail disasters in recent times, led to three days of national mourning in Spain. Over 540 people were on board both trains.
The collision happened when a state-operated Renfe high-speed train collided with a stationary Iryo-operated train.
Dr. Shahbazi's academic journey included a PhD at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge, and a position at the LMB since 2020.