Project timeline

The VIBE platform is currently in its realization phase. It should become available on a limited basis to users in 2026 in the following sequence:

  • May 2026: Alpha-testing by selected users
  • July 2026: Use of VIBE for MIC activities (Summer School, trainings)
  • June-September 2026: free testing by community
  • From October 2026: subscriber model for VIBE

Current and past phases of the project are desribed here:

Realization: (March 2025 – ongoing)

  • Platform creation (May 2025 - May 2026)
    • Interviews with potential users to identify needs for software
    • Testing and deployment of applications on platform
    • Testing and deployment of user workflows on platform
    • Initial purchase of hardware dedicated to VIBE on UBELIX
    • Creation of user documentation
  • Project setup (March 2025 - April 2025)
    • Start of Jens Müller (Research data management expert) and Ruben Lopez (Bioimage analysis application support)
    • Testing of OnDemand Desktop for bioimage analysis software on UBELIX
    • Design of concept for application building, containerization and deployment

Concept phase (October 2024 – ongoing)

  • Since January 2025, Collect experiences from colleagues at comparable platforms
  • October 2024 – February 2025, Identification of usable infrastructure.

Initialization phase (December 2023 – December 2024)

  • September – December 2024, personnel recruitment process. 
  • August 2024, the VIBE application was approved by the rectorate of the University of Bern.
  • January – May 2024, the working group lead by Guillaume Witz and Ruth Lyck, wrote a position paper and submitted an application to University of Bern’s steering group for digitalization (Steuerungsgruppe Digitalisierung, SDIG). The application was jointly signed by DSL and MIC.
  • January 2024, the VIBE Working group met. A common concept for the next steps and the principles of the VIBE project were determined.
  • December 2023, MIC and DSL representatives met to discuss the idea of an image analysis platform. The term “VIBE” was coined and a working group formed.