María Vallet Regí, Emeritus Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the UCM, is once again among the most cited Spanish researchers. According to the academic platform Research.com, she ranks third in Spain and 525th globally in terms of citations.
In 1996, Vallet Regí founded the Vallet Regí research group, which remains active in areas such as "Advanced bioceramics for bone tissue regeneration and scaffolding," "Stimuli-responsive mesoporous nanoparticles for anti-tumor therapy," and "Design of biomaterials and surfaces with antibacterial properties."
In the early 21st century, her research line explored the possibility of introducing drugs into mesoporous silicon materials for controlled release, a technique now utilized by scientific groups worldwide for medical applications.
In 2016, she was awarded an ERC Advanced Grant from the European Research Council to develop a versatile mesoporous nanosystem for bone diseases. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards, including the National Research Award in 2008, the Jaime I Award for Basic Research in 2018, and the Medal for Merit in Research and University Education in 2019.
Other notable recognitions include her inclusion in 2013 by the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) among distinguished women in her field. In 2021, PLOS Biology magazine, based on SCOPUS data, ranked her as the top Spanish female scientist. That same year, she received the Margarita Salas Award, and in 2022, she was chosen to leave her legacy in the Caja de las Letras at the Instituto Cervantes.
Her continued presence in global rankings underscores her significant scientific contributions and the international impact of her research work in materials science, particularly in the development of advanced biomaterials for applications in medicine, tissue regeneration, and therapeutic technologies.
