Research Portfolio
High-Level Summary
My research integrates ultrasound hardware, algorithms, and clinical translation to develop next-generation technologies for non-invasive therapy, real-time diagnosis, and image-guided interventions.
Transcranial Histotripsy for Non-Invasive Brain Tumor Treatment
My PhD dissertation focused on developing transcranial histotripsy, a non-invasive ultrasound therapy that mechanically destroys pathological tissue without surgery, radiation, or thermal damage. Transcranial histotripsy is particularly challenging because the human skull causes significant attenuation and aberration, making it difficult to guide, deliver, and monitor treatment.
To address this challenge, I developed the world's first human-scale MR-guided transcranial histotripsy system capable of generating and electronically steering cavitation through the intact skull. I also designed ultrasound hardware and real-time signal-processing methods for aberration correction, acoustic feedback, and cavitation monitoring, enabling precise and safe treatment delivery.
Using these technologies, I led and contributed to a series of preclinical studies that demonstrated the feasibility and safety of transcranial histotripsy in human brain tumor specimens and in vivo animal models. This work represents a major technological breakthrough in the development of entirely non-invasive surgery for treating brain diseases, and the resulting insights and innovations are translatable to the treatment of other pathologies.
Real-Time Volumetric Ultrasound Imaging
My postdoctoral research focused on advancing ultrafast ultrasound imaging for diagnosis and image-guided interventions. Leveraging a custom 1024-channel imaging platform, I developed volumetric spine imaging techniques that combine large-aperture ultrasound arrays and parallel computing, substantially improving image quality compared with conventional probes. This approach provides an extended field of view, higher resolution, and enhanced contrast, enabling visualization of deep spinal anatomy with strong potential for procedural guidance.
I also developed a high-resolution volumetric ultrasound tomography system for breast imaging, enabling rapid, large-field-of-view, non-ionizing imaging with the ability to visualize small lesions in just a few seconds.