Berlin (d.de) – Reducing animal experiments is an important goal for the German government. To this end, a prize is awarded each year to researchers whose results make alternatives to animal experiments possible. In 2023, the prize was awarded to the tumour researcher Professor Diana Klein from the Institute of Cell Biology at the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen. Animal experiments are not unusual, especially in cancer research. Klein has developed a method to test tumour treatments on cell cultures – rather than on animals, as in the past. Together with her team, Klein developed cell culture models that imitate human organs. These models allow various forms of treatment to be investigated – such as radiation and/or chemotherapy.
In its coalition treaty, the German government has set itself ambitious goals with respect to animal welfare, including a significant reduction in animal experiments. Furthermore, Ariane Kari has been appointed the government’s animal welfare commissioner. The Federal Agricultural Ministry therefore supports, among other things, research projects aimed at avoiding animal experiments and runs the German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals.