Science

The Science Prize is open to individuals, research teams or institutions for work most likely to lead to practical non-animal tests which could be accepted by regulators.

The Lush Prize aims to stimulate worldwide research in 21st century toxicology with a view to replacing animal tests completely. We are seeking projects that are most likely to lead to practical non-animal tests which could be accepted by regulators. We think the most promising approaches include:

  • adverse outcome pathways
  • organs on chips, and
  • computational toxicology

Lush Prize is also particularly interested in human relevant adverse outcome pathways for systemic toxicology or developmental toxicology.

Science Prize funding is £50,000.

Entries for the 2024 Lush Prize close on Friday 1st December.

Please read the eligibility guidelines and complete the Entry Form below.

Other Science Awards

 
There are two related Recognition Awards, non-cash awards in areas where money prizes were either not appropriate or necessary.

Major Science Collaboration – for significant international collaborations looking to develop non-animal techniques or approaches more widely and in the longer term.

Health Charity Project – for animal-free work, or collaborations by health charities, that have created important new insights or techniques in the last eighteen months.

Science Prize Eligibility Guidelines

 
These guidelines set out ethical and scientific principles on which the Lush Prize is based and the nature of work that is rewarded. The Lush Prize is based on the 1R of complete replacement rather than refinement or reduction.

You can see the Full Eligibility Guidelines and Requirements for Winners here. If you have any queries, please contact us.

The overriding aim of the Lush Prize is to reward individuals, groups or organisations who are working hard and doing most to find and push forward replacements to non-human animal testing in toxicology. Naturally therefore, the aim is that this money will be channelled towards those who aren’t involved in the use of animals.

Non-animal research in this sense means no use of non-human animals (including all vertebrates and invertebrates) or primary animal cells, or non-human animal-derived materials (tissues, sera, cells, embryos, antibodies, cornea, etc). Human biology-based approaches are strongly encouraged, although the use of established cell lines of non-human animal origin shall not necessarily be excluded.

The prize money shall be ring-fenced for non-animal use so that it cannot be used to fund any animal testing whatsoever.

In awarding the prize to academic institutions, priority will be given to research teams or groups which deal exclusively with non-animal research.

The prize aims particularly to reward those working in areas where funding is tight and these areas may be given priority. However, applications from large commercial organisations, including those with involvement in animal testing, will be considered from individuals or teams working within these organisations if they are solely focussed on replacement work. Priority will be given to those with a clear commitment to an open-source policy/approach towards the sharing of techniques once developed.

Any organisation which does not quite fit these eligibility guidelines is welcome to nominate themselves if they feel they can provide a strong rationale for why we should consider them. Personal statements from individuals on their own position on animal testing will prove useful in such cases.

For the 2024 Prize, nominated projects must have been running in 2022 or 2023.

No organisation will receive an award for two prize cycles in a row. This normally includes affiliate groups such as departments of the same organisation in different countries. This does not apply to Young Researcher nominations. If you are unclear whether this applies to your organisation please contact us.

Any issues that may arise will be discussed openly with the candidate. It will be helpful if candidates flag up any potential concerns in advance.

 

Entry Form

We do not accept nominations on behalf of someone else. If there is someone whom you think may want to enter the Science Prize, you can notify them using this email form.

You can save this form and continue later, should you wish.

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