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The 2022 State Prize for the Promotion of Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments goes to the microbiologist Michael Ausserlechner from the Medical University of Innsbruck. Ausserlecher received the EUR 10,000 award for a publication in which he presented a brain tumor model 3D printed from human cells as an alternative to animal testing, the Ministry of Education announced on Wednesday.
With the model, the development of tumors and the effectiveness of cancer drugs can be observed in live mode. The bioprinted tumor model grows by itself and allows conclusions to be drawn about how the tumor manipulates its environment and uses it for itself. In the future, it will be possible to test drugs or innovative active substances on such patient-specific tumor tissue models, which can also be supplied with blood vessels. This would help to avoid animal testing.
Avoidance of animal experiments should be promoted
The State Prize is awarded annually by the Ministry of Education after a recommendation by a jury of experts for excellent scientific work whose results or objectives are in line with the “3R principle” (replace, reduce, refine). This involves avoiding or reducing the use of animals in such experiments or improving the conditions for the breeding, housing, care and use of animals.
Source: Nachrichten
