18 / 2016
On Wednesday, 16 November 2016, Christina Spohr was awarded the Hessischer Tierschutz-Forschungspreis (Animal Protection Research Award from the Land [German Federal State] of Hesse) 2016. While studying for her PhD degree at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, funded by the Federal German Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF), she succeeded in developing a method that would use fewer animals and present a lower burden on the animals than the animal test for potency of tuberculins laid down in the laws. Tuberculins are required for diagnosing tuberculosis. The award was presented to her by the state secretary Dr Beatrix Tappeser of the Hessisches Ministerium für Umwelt, Klimaschutz, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz (Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection) at the Landtag (land parliament) of Hesse.
Dr. Christina Spohr
Source: C. Spohr
Tuberculins are used for diagnosing tuberculosis in humans and animals with the aid of in vivo and in vitro test methods. Tuberculins are antigen preparations extracted from the filtrate of mycobacterial cultures. Batches of tuberculins can vary in their antigen composition due to the biological manufacturing process. For this reason, each batch must be tested before it is marketed. If the activity of a batch is too strong, this could lead to severe immune reactions and false positive results; if it is too weak, results could be false negative. Up to now it has been compulsory to test tuberculins in guinea pigs in compliance with the test requirements laid down in the European Pharmacopoeia. This test is very distressing for the guinea pigs and has a low reproducibility rate which means that frequent repeat tests are required.
As part of her PhD at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Dr Christina Spohr developed a testing model, using modern immunological methods, which could enable scientists to perform the test with slightly less than half the number of animals used up to now. Besides, the tuberculin skin test, which is very distressing for the animals, could be dispensed with if the new method was used. Instead, this new test, also called "T-cell proliferation test", would only require a blood sample to be taken from the animals.
"We are pleased to learn that with the Hessian Animal Research Award, Ms Spohr's commitment to the development of a more reliable tuberculin test method has been rewarded"
, emphasised Professor Klaus Cichutek, president of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut.
For many years, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut has been committed extensively to the replacement of animal tests in the marketing authorisation of medicines and their testing for quality, efficacy, and safety. It has also obtained a number of awards for this.
Dr Christina Spohr is a biologist and worked at the Paull-Ehrlich-Institut from November 2011 to January 2015 as part of her PhD studies. Since February 2015, she holds the position of "Study Director, Genetic Toxicology" at Envigo CRS GmbH, Roßdorf.
A high resolution photo of the award winner can be requested from the Press Office of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut.
The award which is worth 14,000 Euro in prize money is granted by the government of the land (German federal state) of Hesse. The land intends to make a contribution to reduce the suffering of laboratory animals in scientific research and education and in the manufacture of biomedicines. The award is offered every other year.
Spohr C, Kaufmann E, Battenfeld S, Duchow K, Cussler K, Balks E, Bastian M (2015): A new lymphocyte proliferation assay for potency determination of bovine tuberculin PPDs.
ALTEX 32: 201-210.
Online-Abstract
Spohr C: Dissertation: Etablierung einer 3R-Alternativmethode für die Chargenprüfung von bovinem Tuberkulin unter Berücksichtigung mykobakterieller Lipidantigene im Meerschweinchenmodell; September 2015.
Kaufmann E, Spohr C, Battenfeld S, De Paepe D, Holzhauser T, Balks E, Homolka S, Reiling N, Gilleron M, Bastian M (2016): BCG Vaccination Induces Robust CD4+ T Cell Responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex-Specific Lipopeptides in Guinea Pigs.
J Immunol 196: 2723-2732.
Online-Abstract
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The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, the Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, in Langen near Frankfurt/Main is a senior federal authority reporting to the Federal Ministry of Health (Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, BMG). It is responsible for the research, assessment, and marketing authorisation of biomedicines for human use and immunological veterinary medicinal products. Its remit also includes the authorisation of clinical trials and pharmacovigilance, i.e. recording and evaluation of potential adverse effects.
Other duties of the institute include official batch control, scientific advice and inspections. In-house experimental research in the field of biomedicines and life science form an indispensable basis for the manifold tasks performed at the institute.
The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, with its roughly 800 members of staff, also has advisory functions nationally (federal government, federal states (Länder)), and internationally (World Health Organisation, European Medicines Agency, European Commission, Council of Europe etc.).
Updated: 16.11.2016
