The European Society of Toxicologic Pathology (ESTP) offers every second year an award for a thesis in toxicological pathology, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG.

Winners in 2012:

1. Dr. Henning Hvid
   honored with EUR 5,000 in recognition of his PhD thesis entitled "In situ biomarkers of insulin mitogenic and carcinogenic effects in the rat mammary gland".
   
   In this outstanding work Dr. Hvid has characterized a common rat model of mammary gland carcinogenesis regarding sampling techniques, proliferation kinetics and influencing physiologic factors. He also investigated the expression of the insulin receptor family and of proteins involved in insulin signalling.
   
   All experiments were designed and conducted in an exemplary manner, and the results were very clearly reported and interpreted. The outcome represents a significant contribution to the knowledge about an important target organ in carcinogenicity testing in vivo.
   
   Reference:
   Hvid H. In situ biomarkers of insulin mitogenic and carcinogenic effects in the rat mammary gland [dissertation] Copenhagen (Denmark): University Dpt of Veterinary Disease Biology: 2010.
   
   
2. Dr. Vanessa Herder
   honored with EUR 3,000 in recognition of her PhD thesis entitled "The impact of cuprizone on the murine spinal cord and the progression of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis".
   
   This thesis is an outstanding contribution to the research in demyelinating diseases using the Theiler's murine encephalitis mouse model.
   
   In her work Dr. Herder has examined the effect of cuprizone on disease progression, immunological parameters and virus load with morphological and molecular methods in an exemplary manner. The result that cuprizone suppressed autoimmunity while virus load was not increased indicated a promising new approach for treatment of demyelinating diseases.
   
   Reference:
   Herder V. The impact of cuprizone on the murine spinal cord and the progression of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis [dissertation]. Hannover (Germany): University of Veterinary Medicine: 2012.
   
   
3. Dr. Florian Heinrich Hansmann
   honored with EUR 2,000 in recognition of his PhD thesis entitled "The pathogenic role of matrix metalloproteinases in a virus-induced mouse model of demyelinating diseases".
   
   This thesis represents an outstanding contribution to the research in demyelinating diseases using the Theiler's murine encephalitis mouse model.
   
   In his work Dr. Hansmann investigated the role of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in the model using a vast array of methods ranging from in vitro methods to light microscopy, electron microscopy and microarray analysis of wild-type and genetically engineered mice. MMP-12 was identified as a central molecule in demyelinating processes and suggested as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in human demyelinating diseases.
   
   Reference:
   Hansmann F. The pathogenic role of matrix metalloproteinases in a virus-induced mouse model of demyelinating diseases [dissertation]. Hannover (Germany): University of Veterinary Medicine: 2012.
   
   

Stresa, Italy, September 13, 2012