Zhen Xu, Ph.D.

Dr. Zhen Xu is the Li Ka Shing Endowed Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor of Radiology and Neurosurgery at the University of Michigan. She is a co-inventor and world leader of histotripsy. Using ultrasound delivered from outside the body, histotripsy mechanically destroys the target tumor via cavitation without incision, radiation, or toxicity. She discovered histotripsy in in 2002 and has led the development of histotripsy for treatment of cancer, neurological, and cardiovascular diseases. She co-founded HistoSonics in 2009, which manufactures the world’s first and only FDA-approved histotripsy clinical system, with non-invasive treatment of liver tumors as the indication. Over 6000 patients have been treated worldwide by 2026. There are ongoing clinical trials on histotripsy treatment of tumors in the kidney and pancreas. She founded the Histotripsy Center at the University of Michigan in Sep 2026, which is the world’s first center dedicated to research, education, and clinical translation of histotripsy (histotripsy.umich.edu).

Dr. Xu has been elected as a Fellow of National Academy of Inventors (NAI), American Institute of Medicine and Bioengineering (AIMBE), and IEEE. She is named by TIME in the 2026 TIME100 Health list, honoring the 100 Most Influential Leaders in global health this year. Dr. Xu received the IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control (UFFC) Outstanding Paper Award in 2006, Frederic Lizzi Award from the International Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU) in 2015, Lockhart Memorial Prize for Cancer Research in 2020, IEEE Carl Hellmuth Hertz Ultrasonics Award in 2024, the Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature in 2026, and AAAS Golden Goose Award in 2026.

Dr. Xu’s research focuses on developing new ultrasound techniques for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological diseases. She and her colleagues have invented histotripsy, a mechanical ultrasound ablation technique via controlled cavitation. Histotripsy is the first non-invasive, non-ionizing, and non-thermal ablation technique. Dr. Xu’s work spans from basic science, device development, and preclinical investigations, to clinical translation of histotripsy. Her work has led to multiple clinical trials on histotripsy treatment of malignant and benign tumors and the FDA approval of histotripsy treatment of liver tumors.

Research Areas:

Biomedical Imaging, Biomedical Ultrasonics and Image-Guided Therapy, Cancer, Cardiovascular, Immunology, Neurological Disorders, Skeletal Orthopaedics