Learn more about the Microsurgery and Preclinical Investigation Facility (MIF), including our mission, governance, policies, and commitment to advancing high-quality, ethical, and reproducible research.
Discover the MIF and What We Stand For
Mission
Learn about MIF’s commitment to excellence through specialized expertise, innovative services, and ethical scientific practices.
Scientific Committee
Meet the experts who guide the strategic vision and development of the MIF, ensuring our services remain relevant to the needs of the research community.
Policy and Guidelines
Access key information on service applications, fees, data management, authorship, publications, and animal welfare standards.
Contact & Location
Find contact details, directions, and practical information for visiting the Microsurgery and Preclinical Investigation Facility.
FAQs
Answers at your fingertips! Find practical guidance on services, methodologies, regulations, authorizations, and facility policies.
Mission
At the Microsurgery and Preclinical Investigation Facility (MIF), we are dedicated to advancing excellence in pre clinical research by providing high quality microsurgical and physiological assessment services in rodent models under rigorously controlled conditions.
Our mission is to deliver comprehensive, end to end expertise across all stages of the research process. This includes support with experimental design, development of bespoke investigative methodologies, veterinary license applications, advanced imaging and telemetry assessments, and a wide range of specialized microsurgical procedures.
Through our unique technical capabilities, extensive experience, and continued development of innovative physio-pathological models, we collaborate closely with researchers and cantonal veterinary authorities to generate scientifically robust, ethical, and reproducible results. All activities are conducted in full compliance with Swiss regulatory requirements and in accordance with the 3R principles (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement).
The University of Lausanne (Unil) is a founding members of the Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC ), which promotes the implementation of the 3R principles through research, education and communication. Learn more about the 3R Principle and Unil’s commitment to ethical and responsible research: The 3R principle: Replacement, Reduction and Refinement – FBM Unil
Scientific Committee
The Scientific Committee defines the strategic vision of the MIF, ensuring that its services remain scientifically relevant, high quality, and responsive to the evolving needs of the research community.
The Committee advises the Dean’s Office on the facility’s strategic development, formulates recommendations, monitors emerging scientific trends, fosters communication with academic departments, and promotes the facility’s activities and services.
Meet the members of the MIF Scientific Committee
- Corinne Berthonneche – Head of the Microsurgery and Preclinical Investigation Facility – University of Lausanne, Switzerland –
- Prof. Dario Diviani – Department of Biomedical Sciences – University of Lausanne, Switzerland
- Prof. Lluis Fajas Coll – Center for Integrative Genomics – University of Lausanne, Switzerland
- Dr. Véronique Josserand – In vivo Optical Imaging Platform Manager – Grenoble, France
- DrSC. Anne-Christine Butty – Representative of the FBM Dean’s office – University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Policy & Guidelines
All applicants for services are bound by the MIF Policy & Guidelines.
The MIF is accessible to research groups from the Faculty of Biology and Medicine at the University of Lausanne (Unil); external academic institutions; and private organizations.
External academic institutions and private organizations are required to establish a contractual agreement through the University of Lausanne’s Technology Transfer Office (PACTT) before accessing MIF services.
In request services, researchers should contact MIF and provide a project description, study objectives, animal model requirements, and desired endpoints. Based on this information, the MIF team will prepare a customized proposal.
Once the proposal has been approved, a Request for Service Form must be signed by both the Principal Investigator and the MIF.
Research groups are encouraged to contact the MIF well in advance, as project timelines may vary depending on protocol complexity, animal models used, required resources and availability.
Fees vary depending on the services requested and the user’s affiliation.
- A preliminary cost estimate can be provided based on a description of the scientific objectives, the species involved, and the parameters to be assessed.
- A detailed customized proposal will be provided following submission of an application for services.
All data are generated, processed and reported in accordance with established quality procedures using trained personnel, validated methodologies, and regularly maintained equipment. The MIF team is available to discuss experimental design, study conduct, data interpretation and other aspects of the project as needed.
All project-related information is treated as confidential. Confidentiality agreements may be established when required.
Unless otherwise specified in contractual agreement, all study data remain the property of the researcher or research group. Such data may not be used by the MIF for independent research purposes without a formal written collaboration agreement between the researcher and the MIF.
Unless otherwise agreed, data are retained by the MIF for one month following completion of the study.
The MIF actively promotes the principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement (3Rs) in all experimental activities.
All studies are conducted in accordance with applicable animal welfare legislation, cantonal requirements and institutional policies and guidelines. MIF is committed to maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare while supporting scientifically rigorous and reproducible research.
MIF applies Unil Directive 4.2 on Scientific Integrity, which is based on the guidelines of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (ASSM). Article 2.10, paragraph 2, states that an author of a scientific publication is a person who has made an essential scientific contribution to the research through its planning, execution, interpretation, or supervision. This approach is consistent with the authorship criteria established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and other recognized scientific organizations.
In accordance with Unil Directive 4.2, MIF staff members who make a substantial scientific contribution to a project, such as through study design, experimental work, data analysis, or data interpretation, should be considered as co-authors on resulting publications. As co-authors, they should also participate in drafting or critically revising the manuscript and approve the final version prior to publication.
When the criteria for authorship under Unil Directive 4.2 are not met, the contribution of the MIF should be recognized in the Acknowledgements. If the conditions of Directive 4.2 are not met, the MIF should appear only in the acknowledgements.
To ensure transparency and mutual understanding, authorship expectations should be discussed and agreed upon at the outset of the collaboration.
When referencing the MIF in publications, the facility’s full name and affiliation should be cited as follows:
“Microsurgery and Preclinical Investigation Facility, University of Lausanne, Switzerland”
To support manuscript preparation, the MIF will provide their users with:
- Descriptions of the materials and methods relevant to the services performed.
- Comprehensive supplementary tables in formats accepted by most scientific journals (.txt, .pdf or .xls).
- Raw data if required.
Where appropriate, MIF staff are available to discuss data interpretation and contribute to the preparation of manuscripts in accordance with the Authorship and Acknowledgements policy outlined above.
MIF Policy & Guidelines (link to PDF)
MIF Request for Service Form (link to PDF)