CIBM is pleased to announce that several of its researchers have secured funding through the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), with one project supported by the SNSF Spark scheme and three by SNSF Project Funding. These newly funded initiatives amount to a total of 4.962 million CHF, marking a significant achievement for the CIBM community and highlighting the scientific excellence and diversity of our research efforts.
These awards will support innovative work across a wide spectrum of biomedical imaging applications, from pediatric metabolic disorders and non-invasive brain therapies to foundational imaging technology development and educational neuroscience.
Solange Denervaud
Research Staff Scientist, Flagship Project Officer, CIBM MRI EPFL
Daniel Wenz
Research Staff Scientist, MR Hardware Lab Manager, CIBM MRI EPFL
Cristina Cudalbu
Section Head, CIBM PCI EPFL
Jérôme Yerly
Research Staff Scientist, CIBM MRI CHUV-UNIL
Stimulating Early-Stage Research With SNSF Spark
Under the SNSF Spark call, Dr. Solange Denervaud (EPFL) received funding for a novel project that combines neuroscience and education research. The project, Using an MRI-Compatible Hands-On Toy to Study Attention in Schoolchildren, explores how interactive, real-world tools can be used in MRI environments to investigate attention processes in young learners. Positioned at the intersection of applied psychology and learning sciences, the study has the potential to inform both educational practices and neurodevelopmental research. The awarded amount is 99,810 CHF
New SNSF Project Funding Awards: Advancing Translational Biomedical Imaging
CIBM researchers have also been awarded funding for three major projects under the April 2025 and October 2024 SNSF Project Funding calls. These projects address a range of complex biomedical challenges through interdisciplinary approaches and advanced imaging technologies.
In one of these projects, Dr. Daniel Wenz (EPFL) and Dr. Rares Salomir (HUG) will develop advanced systems for non-invasive neuromodulation of brain disorders, under the project Advanced systems and methods for non-invasive therapies of brain disorders using deep brain ultrasound neuromodulation and ultra-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging. Their work combines deep brain ultrasound stimulation with ultra-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create novel therapeutic and diagnostic tools. This cross-disciplinary approach aims to push the boundaries of non-invasive brain therapies.The awarded amount is 812,792 CHF.
In a collaborative effort led by Dr. Cristina Cudalbu and Dr. Bernard Lanz (EPFL), together with Prof. Valérie McLin (HUG), researchers will investigate the role of brain glutamine in juvenile chronic hepatic encephalopathy. The project The role of brain glutamine on brain microstructure and energy metabolism in juvenile chronic hepatic encephalopathy, aims to better understand how glutamine levels influence brain microstructure and energy metabolism in pediatric patients. By integrating MR spectroscopy, biomedical engineering, and clinical expertise in paediatrics, the team hopes to uncover new insights into this complex metabolic disorder. The awarded amount is 2,999,178 CHF.
Another funded project, Acquisition and modelling of MRI transverse relaxation data for in vivo histological analyses of soft tissues, co-led by Dr. Jérôme Yerly (CHUV) and Prof. Antoine Lutti (UNIL), focuses on improving MRI-based tissue characterization through enhanced modelling of transverse relaxation data. Their research will develop new acquisition and reconstruction techniques to enable more precise in vivo histological analysis of soft tissues, such as the brain and heart. This work has strong implications for better understanding diseases involving microscopic tissue changes, such as Parkinson’s disease and cardiac iron overload. The awarded amount is 1,014,663 CHF.
The SNSF funded projects awarded in 2025 reflect the strength and breadth of CIBM’s scientific community, as well as the growing impact of our collaborative research across institutional and disciplinary boundaries. We extend our congratulations to all principal investigators and their teams and look forward to the advances these projects will bring to biomedical imaging and translational science.