After 19 years of dedicated service, Dr Maruxa Martínez bid farewell to the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) last December. Since joining the institution in January 2007, she progressed from her role as scientific editor to her most recent position as coordinator of Digital Media and Scientific Affairs, becoming a key member of our community. Her departure, motivated by her family’s move to the United Kingdom, opens a new chapter for Maruxa and closes a fundamental chapter in the recent history of the Park, where her influence will continue to be very much present.
The digital architect of El·lipse
Maruxa has been the ‘face’ of our communication efforts for almost two decades. She was a visionary in institutional engagement, pioneering the PRBB’s presence on social media at a time when it was not yet common practice in the research ecosystem.
One of her most visible legacies is the transformation of El·lipse itself. In 2019, Maruxa led the strategic transition of our publication from a traditional monthly paper magazine, which had reached 118 editions, to the modern digital news platform that our readers use today. This change represented a strategic redefinition of the way the Park communicates science, both internally and externally.
Maruxa has contributed substantially to improving conditions and cohesion in the environment required for the daily scientific work carried out at PRBB centres
Jordi Camí, Director of PRBB
An advocate for integrity and inclusion
Beyond communication, Maruxa’s influence has been woven into the very governance and culture of the PRBB. She played a key role in:
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI): She led the design and implementation of the PRBB’s EDI Committee, which culminated in the formal approval of the ‘Letter of Commitment’ to these principles by all the Park’s research centres.
- Good Scientific Practices: As coordinator of the inter-institutional working group on Good Scientific Practices, she ensured that standards of integrity, transparency and responsible conduct were clearly articulated and applied in practice throughout our multi-institutional environment.
Jordi Camí, general director of the PRBB, recalls meeting Maruxa when she was still editor of a BMC electronic journal, a professional stage that began after her doctoral studies in cell biology at Cambridge 20 years ago. Even back then, Maruxa was already expressing her interest and recognising the importance of developing different initiatives to contribute to the success, rigour, ethics and integrity of research. For Jordi Camí, “Maruxa has contributed substantially to improving the conditions and cohesion of the environment required for the daily scientific work of the PRBB centres. This is one of the main legacies she leaves us‘. The good news is that Maruxa will continue to head up “Science in Action”, a scientific integrity training programme at the UPF aimed at doctoral students from the PRBB centres.
A legacy of intellect and heart
Those who have worked closely with Maruxa know her as an analytically brilliant professional, always enthusiastic and motivated to help. Her ability to identify key issues in complex environments and translate them into clear, actionable decisions has been invaluable to our institutional strategy.
But perhaps most importantly, Maruxa is remembered for her “big heart” and collaborative spirit. We, her colleagues, describe her as an exceptional professional who manages chaos effectively, working constructively at all levels to strengthen our international research ecosystem.
Looking to the future
Although we are sad to lose such a reliable and competent colleague, we are confident that she will make an equally valuable contribution in her next role in the United Kingdom. To ensure the continuity of her excellent work, a new person has already been selected to coordinate Digital Media and Scientific Affairs at the PRBB, starting in early February.
Thank you very much, Maruxa, for your almost 20 years of dedication to science in Barcelona. We wish you and your family all the best in your new home in the United Kingdom.
We invite you to send her all the love of the PRBB community: share this tribute on your LinkedIn profile and dedicate a few words of thanks mentioning her (Maruxa Martínez).
