About The Speaker
Image credit: Emeterio Suárez.
Source: Wikimedia.
Margarita del Val
Margarita is one of the most famous immunologists and virologists in Spain.
She has represented Spain at the European Medicines Agency meetings, is a member of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy, and is part of the Vaccine Advisor committee in Madrid. She is also the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Immunology, coordinator of the COSCE (Confederación de Sociedades Científicas de España) in use of Animals in Scientific Experimentation and the Life and Health sciences area.
Her research was in the spotlight during COVID-19. During the pandemic, she wrote several articles and participated in many Spanish TV programmes to raise awareness among the population, calling for good sense and responsibility. Her effort in communicating science to the Spanish population made her one of the most persuasive scientists in Spain
She has received numerous awards including the Baptist Evangelical Union of Spain José Cardona’s award in 2020 to her research, which became especially important during COVID-19. In 2021 she won the Spanish Federation of Women Directors, Executives, Professionals and Businesswomen (FEDEPE, (“Federación Española de Mujeres Directivas, Ejecutivas, Profesionales y Empresarias”) award to Professional Woman Leadership for her leadership, as well as the Progressive Women award by the Spanish Federation of Progressive Women. In 2022, she was included in the Forbes list as part of the top 100 more influential women in Spain and in 2023, she received the “Alumni” prize from UAM.