Ursula M. Handel Animal Welfare Prize

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Ursula M. Handel Animal Welfare Prize is a science prize awarded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) to scientists who make exemplary and sustainable efforts to improve animal welfare in research . This includes in particular the development of processes that contribute to the reduction, refinement and replacement of animal experiments (reduction, refinement and replacement, the 3R principles). The DFG has been awarding the award since 2004.

The Ursula M. Händel Animal Welfare Prize goes back to the initiative of its eponymous founder. Ms. Handel (1915–2011) campaigned for animal welfare in a variety of ways for many years. Among other things, she founded the "Bonn Working Group for Animal Welfare Law" and was involved in the amendment of the Animal Welfare Act. Animal welfare in science and research was a particular concern for her. Their commitment was primarily aimed at limiting the suffering of laboratory animals as much as possible and reducing the number of animal experiments. For this purpose, Ms. Handel made extensive financial resources available to the DFG, with which one or more work to improve animal welfare in research can be awarded. With a prize money of currently 100,000 euros, the Ursula M. Handel Animal Welfare Prize is the most highly endowed research prize of its kind in Germany.

The Standing Senate Commission for Animal Experimental Research of the DFG is an interdisciplinary committee of experts that deals with current scientific developments as well as the complex ethical and legal framework conditions of animal welfare and research in animal experiments. The DFG is also involved in the information initiative “Understanding Animal Experiments”, which provides comprehensive and transparent information about animal experiments in research. The “Understanding Animal Experiments” project offers a wide range of information material on an internet platform and via social media, provides experts and enables interactive discussions.

Prize winners

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. DFG website on the Ursula M. Handel Animal Welfare Prize, accessed on July 24, 2018
  2. ^ Website of the Senate Commission for Animal Experimental Research of the DFG, accessed on July 24, 2018
  3. To the website of "Understanding Animal Experiments"
  4. Joint press release of the Alliance of Science Organizations from September 6, 2016