Hamburg presents research prize for alternatives to animal testing

2 October 2024

Beiersdorf and the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf take top places

Beiersdorf AG won Monday (September 30, 2024) Hamburg's Research Prize for Animal Testing Alternatives with its novel 3D Nrf2 reporter epidermis model for skin sensitization assessment. Prizes worth EUR 50,000 were presented to all three winners including research projects at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and the Technical University (TU) Berlin in second and third place. The cash prize from the Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and the Ministry of Science, Research, Equality and Districts backs research projects that replace or reduce animal testing.

Beiersdorf boosting animal welfare through skin care

"Hamburg's Research Prize for Alternatives to Animal Testing allows us to actively support the development towards a future without animal testing," said Katharina Fegebank, Senator for Science, Research and Equality. "This year's prizes are a role model and inspiration and they show what cutting-edge research can achieve in the application of medicine and animal welfare." A total of 15 projects had entered for the prize. Commenting on the importance of the 3D skin model entered by Beiersdorand the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB), Anna Gallina, Senator Consumer Protection, noted: "It could replace animal experiments for testing substances with which humans come into contact."

New approaches in biomedical research honoured

The UKE came second with a digital system that characterises existing alternative methods or so-called organoids. This technology enables researchers to select the appropriate organ-like structure for their experiments and use animal-free methods in a targeted manner. A team at TU Berlin came third thanks to their 3D bio-printed liver metastasis model. This technically innovative process can be used to print 3D organ models with blood and fluid flow.
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