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.

The young researcher bursaries are intended solely for non-animal use, though we will not put any constraints on the institution at which the young researcher uses this funding.

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)s. 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.

Nominations for the 2026 Lush Prize are now open and will close on Friday 28th November 2025.

We accept entries from anywhere in the world, for projects which have taken place anywhere in the world.

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

Young Researcher Award Entry Form

 
Please read the Eligibility Guidelines, Requirements for Winners and Policy on use of AI tools.