BASF wins research award

Animal-friendly… BASF has been awarded the “32nd Research Prize for the promotion of methodological work aimed at reducing and replacing animal experimentation” in Berlin. The research team “Experimental Toxicology and Ecology” received this honor for their methodological work in developing and implementing “Strategies for testing the local toxicity of chemicals without animal experimentation.” The award is endowed with prize money of €15,000 and is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV). BASF research scientists have developed completely animal testing-free methods and strategies that examine substances for skin sensitization, eye irritation and skin irritation. The predictive accuracies are at least as good as those provided by animal studies. “Not only did we develop these methods, we also validated them, which allows us to use them in our routine testing now,” said Dr. Robert Landsiedel, head of the Short-Term Toxicology Unit at BASF.