When histotripsy received FDA clearance for the noninvasive treatment of liver tumors in October 2023, it marked a milestone more than two decades in the making for University of Michigan researchers who helped pioneer the technology.
The University of Michigan held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, September 10, for its new Histotripsy Center, which aims to accelerate the future of noninvasive cancer treatment. The new center will expand research, education and clinical translation for histotripsy–a U-M-discovered technology designed to destroy tumors without incisions, radiation or heat.
U-M President Domenico Grasso was among the invited guests speaking during Thursday’s event, which also included tours and lab demonstrations of the new center.
When histotripsy received FDA clearance for the noninvasive treatment of liver tumors in October 2023, it marked a milestone more than two decades in the making for University of Michigan researchers who helped pioneer the technology.
But for Zhen Xu, Li Ka Shing Endowed Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor, Radiology and Neurosurgery, and a discoverer of histotripsy, FDA clearance was not the finish line. It was a new beginning.
Histotripsy — a technique that uses focused ultrasound pulses to mechanically break apart targeted tissue — has already demonstrated the potential to change the way physicians treat cancer. Unlike surgery, radiation or thermal ablation, histotripsy does not require an incision, does not rely on heat and is designed to precisely liquefy tumor tissue while sparing surrounding structures.
Now, with the launch of the University of Michigan Histotripsy Center, Dr. Xu and collaborators across U-M are building the infrastructure needed to move the technology into its next era: deeper science, broader access, more rigorous training and faster translation to patients.
For more information, read The University Record and visit the Histotripsy Website.