The In Vivo Imaging Facility (IVIF), created in 2019, provides state of the art multimodal in-vivo imaging for the visualization of pathological processes in pre-clinical mouse model.
Our activity focuses on the use of non-invasive or minimally invasive imaging modalities from the whole body to the single cell level, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), deep imaging two-photon microscopy, in vivo optical imaging (bioluminescence and fluorescence detection), molecular imaging of radiotracers by micro positron emission tomography (PET) or single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and micro computed tomography (CT). Three irradiation systems that mimic clinical radiotherapy (RT) completes the offer.
The IVIF includes more than15 instruments distributed and incorporated over 250 m2 of animal facility within the AGORA cancer research center at the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and the CLE site at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). The infrastructure complies with the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) radiation protection safety rules and proper animal housing procedures, hence allowing for longitudinal imaging with intermediate housing.