‘A promising researcher, with an eye for the individual patient and the individual animal.’ With these words, Giulia Moreni was crowned scientist of the future on November 15, 2024. Giulia won the Hugo van Poelgeest jury and audience award for her research in which she uses human stem cells to gain insight into the course of viral infections and opens the doors to personalized treatments.
Every two years, together with the Stichting Bouwstenen voor Dierenwelzijn, we award the Hugo van Poelgeest Award to a young researcher who conducts innovative animal-free research.
Giulia is a clinical virologist at the Amsterdam UMC and conducts research into viral infections using human-oriented research models. These models mimic the functioning of human organs, such as the airways, the brain and the intestines. The fact that she chooses to conduct her research with human stem cells is both an ethical choice and a results-oriented approach for her. That, in combination with her strong personal ambitions for an animal-free future, made her the winner of both the jury prize and the audience award this year.
Photo by Pure by Lysan
The best of both worlds is possible: taking care of animals and people
Although research into viral infections still relies heavily on animal testing, 95% of antivirals successfully tested in animal models fail in humans. This is because viruses that cause disease in humans often do not infect animals naturally. After reviewing the literature on the use of animals in viral research, Giulia concluded that there are many research questions where animal testing could be effectively replaced by non-animal alternatives:
“Medical advances have allowed us to use a more reliable, human-based approach that also has the benefit of saving animals’ lives. I believe that a world without animal testing is possible and I am so happy to live in a time where we can make this vision a reality”
This is not the first time that Giulia’s work has won awards. In 2023, she and her team VEO won the Proefdiervrij Venture Challenge, a program in which researchers commercialize their animal-free innovations.
An exciting competition
This year, the Hugo van Poelgeest Award brought an unprecedentedly exciting competition for the top 3 nominees. In addition to the eventual winner Giulia, Patrick Mulder and Henrique Pinto were also in the spotlight with their innovative research. Patrick works with a human skin model to better understand and treat burns, while Henrique mimics a human blood-brain barrier in the lab and links it to mini-brains to take neurological research to the next level.
The main prize of €5,000 went to Giulia, not only for her innovative research, but also because she is a figurehead of animal-free science. Her work and her personal dedication make her a source of inspiration for many. Previous winners, such as Niels Harlaar (LUMC) in 2022, show how this award stimulates innovative research that contributes to an animal-free future.
In addition to the jury award, an audience award was also presented. The public could vote for their favorite via videos in which the researchers themselves presented their work. With almost 1,500 votes cast, it became clear how committed people feel to a future in which ethics and innovation go hand in hand.
