Muriel completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Granada, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in physics in 1995. She went on to complete a master's degree in theoretical physics at the University of Cambridge, where she graduated in 1996 with a thesis titled "The Evolution of Density Perturbations in the Universe". She then completed her PhD in theoretical physics at the University of Valencia, where she graduated in 2000 with a thesis titled "The Formation and Evolution of Galaxies in Cold Dark Matter Models".
After completing her PhD, Muriel held several postdoctoral positions in Europe and the United States, including at the University of California, Berkeley, the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, and the Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Oslo. In 2006, she returned to the University of Valencia as an associate professor of Mathematics and Physics. She became a full professor in 2016.
Muriel's research interests lie in cosmology and astrophysics. She is particularly interested in the cosmic microwave background, galaxy formation, and the growth of galaxies. She is a member of the ESA's Planck Collaboration and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. She has published over 150 papers in these fields.
In addition to her research work, Muriel is also an educator and mentor. She teaches courses in cosmology and astrophysics at the University of Valencia, and she has mentored several undergraduate and graduate students. She is also involved in outreach activities, including giving public lectures and writing articles for the general public.
Muriel has received several awards and honours for her work. She was awarded the Young Scientist Award from the European Physical Society in 2004, the Outstanding Young Researcher Award from the Spanish Royal Society of Physics in 2005, and the Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship in 2010. She is a fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the International Astronomical Union.