Prof. Dr. George Gettinby Honored With Dieter Lutticken Award

BOXMEER, Netherlands, May. 19 /PRNewswire/ --

BOXMEER, Netherlands, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- At the "World Aquaculture 2008", held on May 19-23 in Busan, Korea, Prof. Dr. George Gettinby from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, United Kingdom, was honored with the Intervet Dieter Lutticken Award for his innovative statistical and epidemiological research methods in sea-lice treatments in salmon farming. The jury found his research methods an excellent example of commitment to the advancement of reducing, refining and replacing the use of animals in research, development and production of veterinary medicines.

Prof. Dr. George Gettinby's research focused on the application of statistical and epidemiological methods in sea-lice treatments in salmon farming in order to minimize the number of animals required in test groups. Gettinby's research also provides an alternative to assessing the effectiveness of veterinary medicines in fish, which supports the replacement principle. This alternative is the adoption of mathematical models which can simulate the effects of treatments on lice populations.

Dr. Dieter Lutticken, who presented the award, with a prize fund of 20,000 Euro said: "There has been a long and intimate relationship between life sciences and statistics. Prof. Gettinby's innovative statistical and epidemiological research methods are an excellent example of refining and reducing the use of animals in sea-lice treatments in salmon farming. I am pleased that we can honor Prof. Gettinby at the World Aquaculture Conference today."

The panel of jury experts praised "Prof. Dr. Gettingby's innovating mathematical model approach for investigating the optimal use of treatments and one which involves minimal use of animals. In addition, these methods also minimize the use of veterinary medicines in the environment."

Prof. Gettinby said: "I am honored to receive the Dieter Lutticken Award and it is pleasing to know that the Award has come as a result of the increasing role of statistics and mathematical modelling in the pursuit of medicines for animals and the improved health of species in aquaculture. In accepting this award, I gratefully acknowledge the collaboration, support and work of the Marine Harvest Ltd, Scottish Quality Salmon, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Epi-informatics research group at the University of Strathclyde."

The Dieter Lutticken award, established in 2004, aims to encourage research into the use of alternative models for animal testing with significant impact on the development or production of new animal health products. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health welcomes submissions from scientists and public life-science institutions. The euro 20,000 award is named after Dr. Dieter Lutticken, a committed researcher in microbiology and virology. He guided and shaped Intervet's R&D for more than a quarter of a century. Dr. Lutticken retired in 2003 from his position as Vice President and Head of R&D.

The award's scope covers in vitro models used in R&D which replace animal testing for licensing purposes as well as studies avoiding the use of animals in efficacy, safety and quality testing in the production of biologicals and pharmaceuticals for animals.

A jury panel composed of experts from public institutions of the animal health/animal testing sector and Intervet representatives looks for possible candidates and makes the final selection. Intervet also welcomes submissions from all life-science research institutions. Commercial organizations are excluded. For more information on applications, please contact Global Communications, Animal Health, Boxmeer, The Netherlands (communications@intervet.com). This year's deadline is November 15, 2008.

Note for the editor

Schering-Plough is an innovation-driven, science-centered global health care company. Through its own biopharmaceutical research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough creates therapies that help save and improve lives around the world. The company applies its research-and-development platform to human prescription and consumer products as well as to animal health products. Schering-Plough's vision is to "Earn Trust, Every Day" with the doctors, patients, customers and other stakeholders served by its colleagues around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its website is www.schering-plough.com.

For more information about Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health visit the following website: www.intervet.com