The Future is Human(e)

About the event

You are welcome to join Stichting ProefdierVrij for a day of inspiring talks and celebration. In order to connect a new generation of researchers who work in animal-free science, we organize this event: ‘The Future is Human(e)’. Young researchers will be given the stage and the spotlight, to show how a career in animal-free research can be successful. We’ve added a panel discussion to the line-up, in cooperation with Sophie van Wijk at Young TPI. This talk will be fresh, sharp and interactive, so make sure you are there! During the event we will award the biannual prize for animal-free research: the Hugo van Poelgeest Prize 2026. A more detailed programme and time schedule will follow soon.

You can vote!

Apart from the jury prize there will be a public prize awarded to one of the three nominees. The top-3 nominees for the Hugo van Poelgeest Prize have recorded videos in their labs, to show the set-up and results of their animal-free research in practice. For these three nominees you can cast your vote (until November 1st); more information will follow soon. Make sure your favorite researcher will be awarded the public prize!

Who will you meet at the event?

We welcome anyone who is working in or interested in animal-free research. Are you a scientist yourself, or connected to the field of animal-free research? Please register for the event and participate in the discussion – or just be our guest and applaud the nominees. We are very happy to meet you!

Why ‘The Future is Human(e)’?

The event is all about the new generation of researchers who can make a change in the future. We are working towards a future in which no animal has to be a laboratory animal anymore. Developing and applying animal-free innovations are important steps towards this future and that is exactly what the nominees do. Many animal experiments are conducted for the benefit of humans: to gain a better understanding of human biology and human diseases, and to determine whether a substance is safe and effective for human use. By using animal-free models, no animals need to suffer anymore which makes the future more humane.

About the Hugo van Poelgeest Prize

The Hugo van Poelgeest Prize is the oldest Dutch award for animal-free research in the life sciences. This year, the Hugo van Poelgeest Prize will be awarded for the 17th time.

The nominees have the chance to win two prizes:

• the jury prize of €5,000
• the audience award of €1,500

The Hugo van Poelgeest Prize is intended for early-career researchers who completed their Master’s degree no more than 8 years ago. Their research must make a clear contribution to the transition towards animal-free science, have a big impact on the replacement of laboratory animals and must improve the translation of research to humans. The researchers have to be based in the Netherlands and were selected by their supervisors.

The 2026 nominees are:

• Jesse Weidema (Leiden University Medical Center)
• Job Berkhout (Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
• Elise Heesbeen (Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences)

The event is an initiative of Stichting Proefdiervrij and Stichting Bouwstenen voor Dierenwelzijn.