Cambridge scientist Dr Marta Shahbazi confirmed dead in Spain train crash

Summarised from 8 outlets · 10 reports · Updated 1 Nov, 15:17 · Archive

Dr Marta Shahbazi, 41, a researcher at Cambridge University, was killed when a high-speed train collided with another near Toledo, Spain, on Wednesday, claiming at least 69 lives.

Dr Marta Shahbazi, a 41-year-old researcher at Cambridge University, was among at least 69 people killed in a high-speed train collision in Spain on Wednesday. She was travelling in the front carriage of a Renfe AVE train when it collided with a stationary Iryo service near the village of Urda, south of Madrid in Toledo province. The crash occurred at around 9am local time on the Madrid-Seville route. Over 500 passengers were travelling on the two trains. A further 100 people were injured, and initially around 70 remained unaccounted for.

Dr Shahbazi was travelling from Madrid to south-west Spain to receive a prestigious award from the Spanish Society for Developmental Biology in recognition of her research into stem cells and early human development. Her children, Dario aged three and Alma aged seven, were due to meet her at a beach resort near Huelva after the event. She had visited her brother Carlos, a research professor, at his home in Madrid before boarding the train.

She was a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and an affiliate associate professor at Cambridge's Stem Cell Institute. Born in Spain, she completed her doctorate at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre before moving to Cambridge as a postdoctoral fellow and taking up her group leadership in 2020. Her work focused on the earliest stages of human embryonic development and how errors can lead to failed pregnancies.

Dr Shahbazi was initially reported missing by Cambridge University after the crash. Her whereabouts remained unknown until late on Saturday, when the Spanish research centre CiMUS confirmed her death through a statement posted online. The statement expressed sympathies to her scientist aunt, Maria Jose Alonso, who is a principal investigator at CiMUS.

Dr Shahbazi is survived by her husband, Mirco Petruzzelli. The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology described her as 'an inspiring, talented and passionate scientist' and said her death was 'a profound shock and a huge loss'. The laboratory added that she was 'a role model who had written eloquently about balancing her family and career'. Dr Roser Vento-Tormo, a group leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, described her as 'a beautiful person' and a close collaborator, saying some of their joint work would still be published in coming months.

An investigation into the crash has suggested that as many as four system failures may have led to the collision. The Daily Mail reports that colleagues described the disaster as 'apocalyptic', as if 'a bomb had been planted'.

How it is being reported

• University of Cambridge scientist died in Spain train crashTributes have been paid to Dr Marta Shahbazi, described as a ‘brilliant young researcher’Evening Standard · 1 Nov, 15:51
• Tributes paid to ‘inspiring’ University of Cambridge scientist who died in Spanish train crashDr Marta Shahbazi was travelling to a conference to receive an award for scientific excellence in developmental biology An “inspiring” University of Cambridge scientist died in the Spanish train collision on Wednesday which killed at least 69 people. Dr Marta Shahbazi , an affiliate associate professor at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and a group leader at the city’s Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), was travelling on one of the trains involved in the crash near Urda in Toledo province. Continue reading...Guardian World · 1 Nov, 15:00
• British scientist among 69 killed in Spain train disaster was travelling to collect prestigious awardUniversity of Cambridge researcher Dr Marta Shahbazi was on board when two high-speed trains collided near ToledoThe Independent · 1 Nov, 12:35
• British university scientist died in Spain train crashA University of Cambridge professor has been named as one of the 69 people killed in the deadly high-speed train crash in Spain.Sky News · 1 Nov, 12:28
• University of Cambridge scientist died in Spain train crashA University of Cambridge professor has been named as one of the 69 people killed in the deadly high-speed train crash in Spain.Sky News · 1 Nov, 12:28
• British Cambridge scientist, 41, among victims of Spanish train crashDr Marta Shahbazi was one of the 69 people killed when a train travelling from Madrid to Seville collided with a stationary one on the same route near the city of Toledo.Daily Mail · 1 Nov, 11:07
• British university professor confirmed dead in Spanish train crash that killed at least 69Dr Marta Shahbazi, 41, was killed in the Toledo train disaster (Picture: Medical Research Council) A British university professor was named as one of the victims of Spain ’s high-speed rail disaster. Spain is mourning the death of at least 69 people in the Toledo rail tragedy, which struck on…Metro · 1 Nov, 09:28
• Cambridge University scientist confirmed dead after Spain train crash as tributes paidDr Marta Shahbazi, 41, a Cambridge University scientist and mum-of-two, has been named among the 69 victims of the high-speed train collision in Toledo, Spain.The Mirror · 1 Nov, 09:18
• Cambridge University scientist confirmed dead after Spain train crash as tributes paidDr Marta Shahbazi, 41, a Cambridge University scientist and mum-of-two, has been named among the 69 victims of the high-speed train collision in Toledo, Spain.The Mirror · 1 Nov, 09:18
• Cambridge University scientist missing after horror Spain crash killing 69 peopleA Cambridge University scientist remains missing after Wednesday’s devastating high-speed rail collision in central Spain that claimed at least 69 lives. Dr Marta Shahbazi, 41, a biologist and mother of two young children aged seven and three, has not been heard from since the horror crash. Dr Shahbazi was said to have been seated in the front carriage of the AVE service when it ploughed into the rear of a stationary Iryo train near the village of Urda in the Toledo province. She was travelling from Madrid towards Andalusia to collect an award from the Spanish Society for Developmental…GB News · 31 Oct, 20:19

In this story: Dr Marta Shahbazi · Cambridge University · MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology · Spanish Society for Developmental Biology · Toledo · Mirco Petruzzelli · Maria Jose Alonso · CiMUS

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log