The devastating Spain train crash on October 28, 2026, near Urda claimed 69 lives, including scientists travelling to a research conference, a pharmacist on her way to teach university students, and healthcare professionals whose careers had taken them across countries and institutions.
In the days following the tragedy, universities, research institutes and colleagues began sharing tributes to those they had lost. Among them were seven people whose work had contributed to science, medicine and healthcare in different ways.
Marta Shahbazi Alonso: A Pioneer in Human Embryo Research
Marta Shahbazi Alonso was travelling to the Spanish Society for Developmental Biology meeting, where she was due to receive the José Luis Gómez-Skarmeta Award in recognition of her research.
A group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, Shahbazi had made important contributions to understanding the earliest stages of human embryonic development. Her work helped researchers study embryos beyond implantation, providing new insights into early pregnancy loss, infertility and the processes that guide cellular development.
Earlier in her career, she had conducted research at Spain’s National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), investigating cell adhesion and tissue organization.
Shahbazi was also a mother of two who spoke openly about the challenges of balancing family life with scientific leadership. In a personal essay published in Cell Stem Cell, she reflected on her experience of becoming a mother while establishing her own laboratory.
Following her death, colleagues remembered a generous mentor who took genuine interest in the people working alongside her.
Marta Shahbazi Alonso
Tamara González Costa: Investigating How the Heart Develops
Tamara González Costa, 31, was heading to the same conference.
Originally from Bembibre, Spain, she had recently joined the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) in Vienna, where she was studying cardiovascular development using cardiac organoids.
Her earlier research had explored genetic mechanisms associated with heart disease, and her move to Vienna marked a new stage in her scientific career.
González Costa had only joined her new laboratory in August 2026. Just two months later, her colleagues were mourning her death.
Tamara González Costa
David Jiménez Gil: Supporting Scientific Discovery Through Microscopy
David Jiménez Gil had spent nearly two decades helping scientists carry out their research.
A biochemist trained at the University of Salamanca and Karolinska Institutet, he worked at ZEISS, supporting laboratories that relied on advanced microscopy technologies.
His work brought him into contact with researchers across different scientific disciplines. He was also involved in initiatives celebrating the legacy of Spanish Nobel laureate Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
In a memorial published after his death, colleagues recalled his enthusiasm for science and the personal relationships he had built throughout his career.
David Jiménez Gil
Cristina Ferris Villanueva: Dedicated to Pharmaceutical Science and Education
For Cristina Ferris Villanueva, the journey was taking her back to the University of Seville, where she had once been a student.
A pharmacist working at the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS), she was scheduled to deliver a lecture to pharmacy students.
Her career had been dedicated to pharmaceutical science, medicines regulation and public health. She had received an Outstanding Doctoral Award from the University of Seville and gained experience at the European Medicines Agency.
A mother of four, Ferris Villanueva was remembered by AEMPS for her professionalism, kindness and commitment to her colleagues. The University of Seville also paid tribute to its former student, who had been returning to share her experience with the next generation.
Cristina Ferris Villanueva
Manuel Castrillo Tambay: A Career in Medicine and Healthcare Leadership
Dr. Manuel Castrillo Tambay was another member of Spain’s medical community who died in the collision.
An oral and maxillofacial surgery specialist, he had held senior positions in several healthcare organizations before becoming Corporate Medical Director at Nueva Mutua Sanitaria.
His career had taken him from clinical practice into healthcare leadership, where he worked closely with medical teams and administrators.
Following his death, Nueva Mutua Sanitaria and professional medical organizations expressed their condolences, remembering his dedication to medicine and his colleagues.
Manuel Castrillo Tambay
Daniela Millán Parlanti: Connecting Medical Technology With Clinical Care
Daniela Millán Parlanti was a cardiopulmonary technology specialist originally from Venezuela.
After working in Venezuela and Argentina, she moved to Spain, where she joined Philips in a role supporting the clinical use of medical technologies.
Her colleagues described the difficult days of uncertainty before her death was confirmed. In its tribute, Philips remembered her warmth, professionalism and willingness to help others.
Daniela Millán Parlanti
Ana Martina Conte Grand: A Healthcare Professional Remembered by Her Family
Ana Martina Conte Grand, 32, a podiatrist from San Juan, Argentina, had travelled to Spain for a very different reason.
She was visiting family and had hoped to spend time with her brother and meet a newborn relative.
Trained at the University of Buenos Aires, Conte Grand worked in clinical foot care. She was travelling with her brother when the collision occurred. He survived, but she did not.
Her death was mourned by family and friends in Argentina, where she had built her personal and professional life.
Spain Train Crash: Remembering the Lives and Legacies
The seven people remembered here worked in different fields and were at very different points in their careers.
Shahbazi had established an internationally recognized research group. González Costa was beginning a new position in Vienna. Jiménez Gil had spent decades supporting scientific laboratories. Ferris Villanueva was returning to teach at the university where she had trained.
Castrillo Tambay had built a career in clinical medicine and healthcare leadership. Millán Parlanti worked to support the use of medical technology in patient care. Conte Grand was visiting loved ones when her life was cut short.
Their deaths have been felt across research institutes, universities, hospitals, companies and professional communities. The tributes that followed speak not only of their work, but of the friendships they formed, the colleagues they supported and the families who knew them outside their professional lives.
Their contributions to science and medicine deserve recognition. So do the lives they led beyond their work.
OncoDaily extends its deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of Marta Shahbazi Alonso, Tamara González Costa, David Jiménez Gil, Cristina Ferris Villanueva, Manuel Castrillo Tambay, Daniela Millán Parlanti and Ana Martina Conte Grand, and to all those mourning the victims of the October 28 train tragedy in Spain.
