Welcome to the Chen Ultrasound Laboratory! Our research laboratory combines engineering, biology, and medicine to develop innovative focused ultrasound techniques to improve the lives of patients with brain diseases.

Our team is currently searching for graduate students, postdocs, technicians, or staff scientists who are interested in joining us. For further details on this opportunity, kindly contact Dr. Chen via email at hongchen@wustl.edu.

Recent news

Dr. Hong Chen Ranked 11th Nationwide for NIH funding

Dr. Hong Chen Ranked 11th Nationwide for NIH funding
The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR) has published rankings of institutions, departments, and investigators based on the funding they receive from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). We are pleased to announce that Dr. Hong Chen is ranked 11th nationally among all Principal Investigators in Neurosurgery. Additionally, the WashU Neurosurgery ranked No. 5 in NIH […]

Our lab relocated to the Neuroscience Research Building

Our lab relocated to the Neuroscience Research Building
Our laboratory is embarking on a new chapter in 2024 by relocating to the Neuroscience Research Building — a 609,000-square-foot, 11-story facility — at 4370 Duncan Ave. The university invested $616 million to construct the building, the largest and most expensive in the medical school’s history. The investment was driven by leaders’ belief that the […]

Our hibernation work reported by NIH NIBIB Science Highlights

Our hibernation work reported by NIH NIBIB Science Highlights
NIH NIBIB funds the work of more than 5,000 researchers around the country and internationally. Being chosen as an NIH NIBIB Science Highlight is a prestigious recognition. The article “Ultrasound can briefly induce a hibernation-like state in animals” features our innovative research on ultrasound-induced artificial torpor. The piece presents ultrasound as a groundbreaking approach that […]

Cordance Receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for Sonobiopsy

Cordance Receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for Sonobiopsy
In just 5 years, our team turned the revolutionary Sonobiopsy technology from concept to commercialization amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This technology provides a noninvasive solution to brain disease diagnostics through the use of focused ultrasound for release of disease-specific biomarkers from brain to blood, which can further be detected and characterized using liquid-based biopsy.  Cordance […]

Noninvasive Sonobiopsy is Feasible and Safe in Humans

Noninvasive Sonobiopsy is Feasible and Safe in Humans
Dr. Hong Chen and Dr. Eric Leuthardt, MD have laid the foundation for a revolutionary technique that noninvasively surveys the molecular and genetic information of brain tumors. This technique, termed sonobiopsy, uses focused ultrasound and microbubbles to precisely and accurately target a brain tumor lesion, temporarily disrupt the blood brain barrier at the target region, […]

Chen Lab received two NIH R01 awards 

Chen Lab received two NIH R01 awards 
The Chen lab recently received two NIH awards to fund their research on ultrasound combined with genetics for treatment of brain disorders. One of the awards — a five-year, $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke — will fund the team’s transformative Sonogenetics 2.0 research, […]

Dingyue received best poster award at 2023 IC-UEBA

Dingyue received best poster award at 2023 IC-UEBA
Dingyue (Doris) Zhang received her first best poster award at the 15th International Conference on Ultrasound Engineering for Biomedical Applications (IC-UEBA). This award was given to the best three posters during the conference poster sessions. Congratulations to Dingyue on this wonderful achievement!

Hong Chen’s Team Induces Torpor-Like State Using Ultrasound

Hong Chen’s Team Induces Torpor-Like State Using Ultrasound
Some animals have an extraordinary ability to conserve energy by going into torpor, a physiological state marked by reduced body temperature and metabolic activity, which enables them to survive adverse environmental conditions such as harsh weather or lack of food. Hong Chen’s team, led by Yaoheng (Mack) Yang, demonstrated safe and noninvasive induction of torpor-like […]

Our glymphatic paper is published in PNAS

Our glymphatic paper is published in PNAS
Like the lymphatic system in the body, the glymphatic system in the brain clears metabolic waste and distributes nutrients and other important compounds. Impairments in this system may contribute to brain diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. Dezhuang (Summer) Ye in collaboration with the team found a noninvasive and nonpharmaceutical method to influence glymphatic […]