An “inspiring” University of Cambridge scientist died in the Spanish train collision on Wednesday that killed at least 69 people.

Dr Marta Shahbazi , 41, 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.

The LMB said the mother of two had recently won the Spanish Society of Developmental Biology’s scientific excellence prize. She had been due to be presented with the award during its conference in El Rompido, Andalucía.

In a LinkedIn post, the LMB said it was deeply saddened by her death, which was “a profound shock and a huge loss”, adding: “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.”

It said she was a role model who had written eloquently about…