The Sense
The Sense is an academic center dedicated to innovation, research, and education on sensory systems. This initiative is the result of a joint venture between three Swiss academic partners: The University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland Valais-Wallis Valais-Wallis, The University of Lausanne, and The Lausanne University Hospital.
The University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland Valais-Wallis
When you study at HES-SO Valais-Wallis, you live and study in the heart of the Swiss Alps and benefit from modern and efficient infrastructures. You get the opportunity to participate in multilingual courses enhanced by the inspiring natural, economic, industrial, social and cultural environment of the canton of Valais.
You get the opportunity to train on the Team Academy programme, which is unique in Switzerland, and benefit from the interdisciplinary learning provided by the close proximity of the various schools and the different degree programmes. You get to contribute to applied research and development.
The University of Lausanne
The University of Lausanne comprises more than 190 research units working in fields as diverse as genomics, aesthetics of cinema, environmental law and criminalistics.
In institutes, laboratories and libraries, about 3,000 researchers, including 580 professors, work every day on projects of national and international significance, thereby increasing the institution’s research capital. The UNIL seeks in particular to encourage a cross-disciplinary approach to research.
The Lausanne University Hospital
The Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) is one of the 5 Swiss university hospitals and the 13th global hospital according to the 2024 ranking by Newsweek magazine. Thanks to its collaboration with the Faculty of Biology and Medicine at the University of Lausanne, CHUV plays a leading and influential role in Europe in the fields of medical care, medical research, and education.
Our missions
The Sense creates and disseminates knowledge about the senses and human behavior for the benefit of society. This initiative fosters synergies between applied, fundamental, and clinical research aimed at improving the performance or clinical outcomes of sensory function.
To this end, The Sense aims to :
- Federate converging and complementary expertise and knowledge for the development of research and innovation projects dedicated in particular to neurosensory processes in humans;
- Promote staff exchanges between the founding institutions;
- Promote student exchanges and ensure their training in a coordinated manner between the institutions.
Message from the Directors
Following the public launch of "The Sense," which took place in spring 2022, 2023 marked our first full year of activity. This annual report outlines its various components.
The direction of "The Sense" would like to extend special thanks to the founding institutions for their constant support, to all affiliates whose numbers continue to grow, to various partners and funding structures for their support in the various projects led by The Sense-affiliated investigators, and to the members of various organizational bodies. Finally, we would like to thank you, the reader of this annual report, without whom "The Sense" would not exist.
History
2015
Professors Micah Murray and Olivier Lorentz ideate The Sense.
2018
The Faculty of Biology and Medicine (CHUV-UNIL) provide a formal mandate to Prof. Micah Murray to map the forces present in the field of sensory neuroscience and to propose a structuring of its activities.
2020
A letter of intent signed by the founding members for the creation of The Sense Innovation and Research Center.
2021
Signature of the consortium agreement by the founding institutions: the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland Valais-Wallis.
2022
Public launch of The Sense.
Organization
Our team 
Active research units
Principal investigators
Affiliated individuals
%
Women
Research fields
Le Sense s’inscrit dans la volonté de partager des partenaires et de développer et promouvoir la recherche et l’innovation autour des neurosciences sensorielles. Les activités du réseau du Sense couvrent toutes les étapes du processus d’innovation, de la recherche fondamentale sur le fonctionnement de nos sens à la recherche appliquée sur des solutions prometteuses, en passant par le développement et l’expérimentation de solutions viables.
The innovation, research, and education activities of The Sense are organized around three main axes, corresponding to three major questions: