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 legal requirements, fostering a positive and responsible research environment that benefits animals, staff and society.
List of previous AWARD WINNERS
List of previous AWARD WINNERS
Miriam Zemanova – 3Rs Award 2026
Miriam Zemanova created a website to let scientists know about tricks to reduce or eliminate harm to animals while studying wildlife. For that project she received the 3Rs Award 2026.
Blandine Clément and Amanzhol Kurmashev – Young 3Rs Investigators 2026
The two 2026 winners of the Young 3Rs Investigators Awards are Blandine Clément, for her work on treating chronic pain, and Amanzhol Kurmashev, for his work on tackling antibiotic resistance.
Culture of Care Award 2025 – Culture of Care Working Group (USI)
The Culture of Care Working Group of the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Bellinzona Institutes of Science (Bios⁺) won the Culture of Care Award 2025 in recognition of fostering a culture of care for animals used in research.
