In 2016 she became the first women ever to receive the Echegaray Medal, that was given to her by the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences (Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales).

Salas' discovery of the bacterial virus Φ29 DNA polymerase was recognized by the Spanish National Research Council as the highest-grossing patent in Spain.

[1][2] Her cumulative work, as described by The Local in 2019, "invented a faster, simpler and more reliable way to replicate trace amounts of DNA into quantities large enough for full genomic testing.

Salas was raised into the Spanish nobility by King Juan Carlos I in Summer 2008 with the hereditary title of Marquesa de Canero.

[2][6] She was the daughter of José Salas Martínez (1905–1962), a psychiatric doctor who influenced her, encouraging her interest in science, and Margarita Falgueras Gatell (1912/1913-2014), a teacher.

in chemistry and obtained a PhD degree in 1963, with Alberto Sols (of the Spanish National Research Council) as doctoral supervisor.

[7] After finishing their thesis, in August 1964, she travelled to the United States with her husband, Eladio Viñuela, whom she married in 1963,to work with Severo Ochoa.

[7][8][14] On 11 July 2008, Salas was raised into the Spanish nobility by King Juan Carlos I with the hereditary title of Marquesa de Canero.

[8][19] Salas published more than three hundred and fifty publications in international magazines or books and about ten in national media.

She also directed the Severo Ochoa Foundation y and the annual course of the School of Molecular Biology “Eladio Viñuela” of the Menéndez Pelayo International University in Santander.

In December 2018, the name change of the Eliseo Godoy school (Franco's teacher and military) from Zaragoza to Margarita Salas was approved.

Salas was known for her work as a mentor of many scientists such as María Blasco, Marisol Soengas and Jesús Ávila de Grado.