Farewell to Dr. Manfred Liebsch: Mentor, Scientist, Animal Welfare Advocate

It is with great sadness that I share the passing of Dr Manfred Liebsch, an outstanding scientist and former Head of ZEBET at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)—a tireless advocate for the development and regulatory acceptance of alternatives to animal testing.

I had the privilege of working closely with Dr. Liebsch as his doctoral student. His mentorship, scientific clarity, and ethical commitment have left an indelible mark on my career and on the field of toxicology as a whole.

Dr. Liebsch dedicated over three decades to advancing the 3Rs (Replace, Reduce, Refine). His work at ZEBET, at the Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, contributed to numerous national and international validation efforts in areas such as phototoxicity, systemic toxicity, and skin and eye irritation.

His leadership helped pave the way for the first OECD - OCDE Test Guidelines based entirely on non-animal methods - a milestone recognised in 2005 with the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Prize. 

In 2011, he was also honoured with the International Recognition Award by the Centre for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) at the 8th World Congress in Montreal - an award given to scientists for long-term, impactful contributions to the reduction and replacement of animal use in life sciences.

Beyond the accolades, Dr Liebsch (whom we all called Manfred) was renowned not only for his integrity, perseverance, and diplomatic skills in uniting regulators, scientists, and policymakers in the pursuit of humane science—but also for his sharp wit and sense of humor, which made even the most challenging discussions more human, and the long meetings a little shorter. His work continues to shape how we assess safety and protect human health—without compromising animal welfare.

As the proverb says:

 “Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand.” 

Manfred involved, challenged, and inspired us—and in doing so, he helped an entire generation truly understand.

His passing is a profound loss to our community 🖤.

Rest in peace, Manfred. Your legacy will endure in every validated method, every student trained, and every animal test avoided.