The Swiss 3RCC Awards recognise individuals and teams whose work makes an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) and to responsible research practices in Switzerland.
Through these awards, the Swiss 3RCC highlights excellence, innovation, and leadership in areas ranging from scientific and technological advances to education, transparency, and institutional culture. The awards aim to both recognise achievements and share good practice, supporting wider uptake of 3Rs approaches across the research community.
Each award focuses on a distinct aspect of responsible research, including:
- Scientific and methodological advances that strengthen the 3Rs
- Early-career contributions with strong future potential
- Initiatives that promote a strong Culture of Care within institutions using animals in research
Awardees receive financial support and opportunities to present and communicate their work through Swiss 3RCC events and media, helping to increase visibility and impact beyond their own institutions. Detailed information on eligibility, application or nomination procedures, timelines, and selection criteria can be found on the individual award pages below.
The Swiss 3RCC gives out three annual awards: the Swiss 3RCC’s 3Rs Award and a Young 3Rs Investigator Award to individuals for work conducted in Switzerland, as well as the Culture of Care Award.
3Rs Award and 3Rs Young Investigator Award
The Swiss 3RCC – 3Rs Award recognises outstanding contributions that have significantly advanced the Replacement, Reduction, or Refinement of animal experimentation (the 3Rs Principle) in Switzerland.
Culture of Care Award
The Swiss 3RCC – Culture of Care Award recognises an individual or group who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting and implementing a strong Culture of Care within a research institution that uses animals. The award honours initiatives that go beyond...
List of previous AWARD WINNERS
List of previous AWARD WINNERS
2025 Culture of Care Award – Culture of Care Working Group (USI)
The Bellinzona Institutes of Science (Bios+) is recognised for their Culture of Care towards their laboratory animals.
Manon Murdeu and Doris Zauchner – Young 3Rs Investigators 2024
The 2024 Young 3Rs Investigator Awards have been awarded to Doris Zauchner (ETH Zürich) and Manon Murdeu (EMPA) for their outstanding work in advancing human-relevant alternatives to animal testing. Their innovative research in rare disease modeling and reproductive toxicology exemplifies the 3Rs principle by reducing animal use while enhancing the quality and ethical standards of biomedical science.
Fides Zenk – 3Rs Award 2024
Fides Zenk of EPFL has received the 2024 3Rs Award from the Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) for her groundbreaking work using human brain organoids to study early neurodevelopment. Her research provides a powerful new approach to understanding how genes are regulated during early brain formation—a key to unlocking the mechanisms behind neurodevelopmental disorders.