Adolphe Merkle Institute Professor Barbara Rothen-Rutishauser has been awarded the Run4science Prize, worth CHF 25,000, for her project “Automatized engineering of human epithelial tissue barriers by a bioprinting approach – the next generation of in vitro alternatives.

The project aims to establish standardized bioprinting platforms for human epithelial tissue barriers, such as those found in the lung, intestines and kidneys. These types of automatized and highly reproducible platforms will be important for high-throughput risk assessment and drug efficacy screening for researchers, the regulatory authorities, and the pharmaceutical industry.

The Run4science association aims to reduce animal experimentation by promoting alternative research methods and encouraging their use by the scientific community. Funds for projects are raised thanks to an annual fun run and through sponsorship.