METISLAB originates from a long history of  research-exchange programs between CREATIS and China particularly focusing on the cultivation of PhD students. Professor Wanyu LIU prepared and defended his PhD thesis at INSA-Lyon in July 1994 under the supervision of Dr. Isabelle MAGNIN. At that time, CREATIS  was known as Laboratoire  de Traitement du Signal et Ultrasons (LTSU). After a long stay in Canada as a scientist and engineer in industry, Professor Wanyu LIU returned to China  as a Professor at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) where he created the Vision Inspection Laboratory in 2005. In 2006, Dr. MAGNIN and Professor LIU founded the common laboratory “HIT-INSA Research Center for Biomedical Imaging”.

This initial joint structure allowed for collaboration between the two institutes through joint PhD and research programs. Discussion with CNRS has led to its recognition as a CNRS Associated International Laboratory (Laboratoire International Associé, LIA) in 2014.

             Official creation and signature ceremony for LIA METISLAB in Nov. 2014

After four years of fruitful works, the researchers within this framework sought for a continuation of the joint structure. It took about two years to set up a new program during which Professor LIU moved to Shanghai as the dean of the Université Technologique Sino—Européenne de Shanghai (UTSEUS). Under the co-direction of Professor Wanyu LIU and Dr Patrick CLARYSSE, this second METISLAB edition was accredited by the INSIS Institute as an International Research Project (IRP) for the period of 2019-2023. This project has been supported since its beginning by INSA-Lyon engineering School, notably via its China Affairs Coordinator, Dr Yuemin ZHU.