To encourage animal-free innovation, the Willy van Heumen Foundation awards a lifetime achievement prize every 10 years to an individual or organization committed to animal-free research. On December 12th, this prestigious award was presented to Prof. Dr. Sue Gibbs. On behalf of the Proefdiervrij team: congratulations, Sue! Thank you for your dedication to animal-free research.
Regenerative medicine without animal testing
It is evident that Sue has built a significant body of work in her thirty-year career. Her animal-free research in regenerative medicine and her prominent role as a pioneer of animal-free innovation have earned her national and international recognition.
Within her research at Amsterdam UMC, Sue focuses on developing organoids that mimic the human skin. Additionally, to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the human body, she combines her organoids with organs-on-chips in so-called multi-organoid chips*.
*A multi-organoid-on-a-chip is a small chip on which multiple cultivated mini-organs (organoids) are placed. This allows scientists to create a realistic representation of organ interactions, enabling more precise research on medications and diseases.
Today’s students are tomorrow’s scientists
Yet Sue is not only active behind the scenes. In recent years, she has increasingly focused on education, aiming to motivate future researchers to apply animal-free methods in their later careers. Sue says, “It’s a challenge, but that’s what makes it enjoyable. Science is a challenge!”
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And even fewer test animals!
In the testing of (new) drugs and treatments, hundreds of thousands of test animals are used in the Netherlands alone. However, computer models like the digital twin heart put an end to this. By testing drugs on data from human patients, they not only make research more reliable but also ensure that fewer animal experiments are needed for drug research. A win-win situation!
Who is Willy van Heumen?
‘Willy van Heumen’ is the name used by an anonymous benefactor who, through her legacy, seeks to contribute to animal-free research. The lifetime achievement prize includes a monetary award of €15,000 and can be freely allocated to research.
In addition to the lifetime achievement award, the Willy van Heumen Foundation also presents a biennial award of €15,000 and a trophy. This amount must be used exclusively for animal welfare.
Ambition vs. Realism
On December 12th, the Willy van Heumen Award was presented during the Ambition vs. Realism Symposium in Utrecht. The event, organized by ZonMw and the NCad, was entirely dedicated to the transition to biomedical science without animal testing.
Source: Press release Proefdierenalt
