Young Researcher Award

The Young Researcher Prize is open to young scientists (up to 35 years at the time of application) with a desire to fund the next stage of a career focussed on an animal-test free future.

Because toxicology has for so long been centred on animal testing, many scientists with concerns about the use of animals are deterred from becoming toxicologists. Those who do enter the field can find that access to funding for working on non-animal tests can be a barrier.

We want to change this, and to encourage young scientists to develop a career in toxicology without harming animals by offering bursaries to allow them to advance in this area.

At least one of the five young researcher awards will be given for work on computational toxicology (if the judging panel believe the nominations are strong enough). Furthermore, given the previous success of Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) in skin and eye sensitisation, Lush Prize is keen to address another urgent unmet need in human relevant toxicity testing, namely the drive for development of new AOPs in systemic or developmental toxicology.

Each Young Researcher winner receives £10,000 funding.

Nominations for the 2026 Lush Prize will open on Monday 1st September 2025 and close on Friday 28th November 2025.