Who we are
A leading technological center specializing in mouse genetics, immunology, and disease modeling. It supports preclinical research through state-of-the-art technologies, expert-driven services, and high-standard infrastructure, all integrated on a single site. By designing and executing customized, project-based studies, CIPHE accelerates translational research in key areas such as immunology, inflammation, cancer, infection, autoimmunity, neurology, and rare diseases.
The CIPHE (Center of Immunophenomics - Inserm, CNRS and AMU)
The CIPHE (Center of ImmunoPHEnomics - Inserm (US012), CNRS (UAR3367) and Aix-Marseille University (AMU)) is a leading technological center that advances preclinical research through cutting-edge technologies, expert knowledge, services and high-quality infrastructure, all integrated on a single site. CIPHE has been founded by Dr Bernard Malissen and play a pivotal role in key biomedical fields including immunology, infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmunity, inflammation, neurology and rare diseases.
As a recognized leader in mouse genetics, genome editing and immunology, CIPHE develops advanced in vitro and in vivo preclinical models that are essential for understanding disease mechanisms and evaluating new therapies. Its state-of-the-art facilities integrate advanced technologies to enable the modeling of human pathologies and provide critical insights into disease progression.
By ensuring efficient project execution and adhering to the highest standards in contract management, certification and regulatory compliance, CIPHE accelerates translational research and therapeutic development, effectively bridging the gap between discovery and clinical application.
A key partner for academics & industry
As a founding member and strategic partner of national and international research infrastructures (such as Phenomin, Celphedia, and Infrafrontier), CIPHE plays an active role in global scientific collaborations. CIPHE offers an integrated technology toolbox for academic, pharmaceutical, and biotech partners, supporting the development and characterization of advanced preclinical models. Our comprehensive projects span the entire workflow, from customized mouse model generation to in-depth analysis in standard and high-containment (BSL2 and BSL3) environments. Each approach is tailored for precision, and scientific excellence. By combining genetic engineering, immunomics, comprehensive infectious disease modeling, alongside high-throughput and computational analyses, CIPHE provides an integrated infrastructure for disease modeling, therapeutic strategy evaluation, and immune responses analysis, driving innovation in biomedical research.
Our mission
CIPHE's mission is to provide partners with unmatched technological resources, infrastructure, and expertise to accelerate their research by leveraging national and international research infrastructures to accelerate scientific discovery.
Our focus includes:
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Delivering state-of-the-art technologies and custom-made services, guided by scientific experts, to address specific project requirements.
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Continuously integrating emerging technologies harnessing national and international infrastructure networks to meet evolving research challenges within a unified, advanced research environment.
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Providing comprehensive training and education on advanced technologies to strengthen research capabilities and drive innovations.
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Supporting a wide range of in vivo and in vitro studies, including animal models and advanced organoid platforms, to enable disease modeling and accelerate therapeutic development. Through these complementary experimental systems, CIPHE provides researchers with robust tools to investigate disease mechanisms and evaluate treatment efficacy.
Preclinical and Translational Research
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Providing access to integrated platforms for genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, with multiplexed capabilities to accelerate data generation and biological insight.
Omics Technologies
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Offering a suite of computational tools on dedicated data analysis servers, AI…, interactive data visualization.
Bioinformatics and Data Science
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CIPHE manages mouse colonies for a wide range of preclinical disease models, recognizing the essential role of animal research in advancing biomedical science. This responsibility is matched by a strong ethical commitment. All studies follow European Directive 2010/63/EU, requiring ethical review and ministerial approval. We apply refined protocols to minimize stress and pain, in line with the 3Rs principles: Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement.
To support public understanding, the CNRS recently released a short video (in French) outlining how animal research is regulated today.
As a signatory of the GIRCOR Transparency Charter, CIPHE promotes openness and dialogue on the use of animals in research — while actively developing alternatives such as organoid models whenever scientifically appropriate.
Comprehensive Mouse Colony Care and Research
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Delivering specialized training programs and fostering collaborative networks to accelerate innovation and capacity building across disciplines.
Training and Knowledge Transfer
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By integrating these core competencies, CIPHE supports a dynamic and collaborative research environment, accelerating scientific discovery and its translation into societal impact.
Collaborative approach
Our expertise
CIPHE operates as a central player within national and international research infrastructure ecosystems, organized into specialized Technology Units (Platforms) that cover a broad spectrum of research areas.
The value of our structure lies in offering a comprehensive range of services—integrating technology development, production, and phenotypic/functional analyses—while providing continuous support to academic and industry users. This model combines public funding with service income, ensuring sustainability and fostering close collaboration, agility, and rapid adaptation to emerging scientific and technological challenges.
Our expertise includes:
Collaborations & Impact
CIPHE actively participates in national and international research programs, including ERC, ANR, Labex, RHU, PIA, and various European projects. Our collaborations focus on mouse genetics, immunology, infection, cancer, neurology and rare diseases.
As a founding member of Phenomin and Celphedia, CIPHE contributes to major international consortia such as EMMA, Infrafrontier, IMPC, Immgen, ISIDORe, GDR Organoids, and Virocrib. These partnerships enhance our expertise in functional genomics and preclinical human disease modeling.
About us