The Society of Toxicology has awarded the prestigious 2026 Society of Toxicology (SOT) Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award to Prof. Mathieu Vinken, Ph.D., Pharm.D., E.R.T., of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and coordinator of the ONTOX project. This highly respected award recognizes outstanding contributions to advancing toxicological science through methods that replace, reduce, or refine animal use – the core principles of the 3Rs.
Prof. Mathieu Vinken received this award for his pioneering work in human-relevant liver toxicology, his leadership in developing integrated New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), and his long-standing commitment to animal-free safety assessment of chemicals. His research has significantly improved scientific understanding of chemical-induced liver injury, with focus on cholestatic liver toxicity, and has transformed this knowledge into adverse outcome pathway (AOP) frameworks and predictive in vitro test systems. These innovations provide powerful, mechanistically anchored alternatives to traditional animal testing across pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food ingredients, biocides, and industrial chemicals.
Prof. Mathieu Vinken’s achievements exemplify the mission of the 2026 SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award, demonstrating scientific innovation and deep commitment to advancing human-relevant, animal-free toxicology.
We congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition and celebrate the impact of his work within the ONTOX consortium, part of the ASPIS cluster, and the broader scientific community.
