Hong Chen

Dr. Hong Chen is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Neurosurgery at Washington University in St. Louis. She also has appointments at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science. She is also a member of the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences, Siteman Cancer Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, and Institute of Clinical & Translational Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Washington in 2011. She joined Columbia University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering as a postdoctoral research scientist from 2012 to 2015. Since joining Washington University in St. Louis in 2015, Dr. Chen has been at the forefront of innovation in developing the bold new field of NeuroSonics. Her research aims to harness ultrasound technologies for non-invasive diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases and deepen our understanding of brain functions. Her work has garnered support from multiple funding agencies such as the NIH BRAIN Initiative, NIBIB, NIA, NINS, NIMH, NCI, NSF, and the Department of Defense. Her work has drawn the attention of global media outlets such as the New York Times, the Guardian, and Scientific American. A leader in the ultrasound field, Dr. Chen holds positions on multiple boards and committees. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the International Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound, serves on the IEEE International Ultrasonics technical committee, and contributes to the Acoustical Society of America’s Biomedical Ultrasound technical committee. Among her many accolades, she is a recipient of the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, and the Provost’s Research Excellence Award. She has also been honored with the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award and the Chair’s Teaching Award for her exceptional contributions to mentoring and education. Google Scholar link to Dr. Chen’s publications is here.

EDUCATION
  • PhD, Bioengineering, University of Washington, 2011
  • MS, Biomedical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 2006
  • BS, Biomedical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 2003
HONORS AND AWARDS
  • 2024 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award
  • 2024 Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors
  • 2024 Provost’s Research Excellence Award from WashU
  • 2024 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award from WashU
  • 2023 Selected to the WashU Siteman Emerging Leaders Council
  • 2020 Frederic Lizzi Early Career Award from the International Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound
  • 2019 The 1st place professional poster prize at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Society Novel Approaches Target Brain Barriers for Effective Delivery of Therapeutics Workshop.
  • 2019 Chair’s Award for Outstanding Teaching, Department of Biomedical Engineering, James McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, 2019
  • 2014 Young Investigator Award, 4th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound
  • 2011 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Bioengineering Department, University of Washington
  • 2008 Student Paper Award, IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium
  • 2005 R.W.B. Stephens Prize Winner, the World Congress in Ultrasonics/Ultrasonics International

RESEARCH FUNDING SUPPORT (as PI and co-PI)

Active

  • Ultrasound-induced Artificial Hibernation: Mimicking Natural Hibernation to enhance human health. NIH [DP1DK143574]
  • Image-guided focused ultrasound-mediated intranasal brain drug delivery technique (FUSIN). NIH/NIBIB [R01EB027223]
  • Sonogenetics 2.0. NIH/NINDS [R01NS128461]
  • Focused ultrasound-enabled brain tumor liquid biopsy. NIH/NIBIB [R01EB030102]
  • Sonobiospy for noninvasive genetic evaluation of glioblastoma patients. NIH/NCI [R01CA276174]
  • iSonogenetics for incisionless cell-type-specific neuromodulation of non-human primate brains. NIH/NIMH [UG3MH126861]
  • Wearable passive sonar for cavitation detection in the brain. Office of Naval Research [GRANT1353891]

Past

  • FOCUS: functional optical imaging feedback-controlled cellular-level ultrasound stimulation. NIH/NIMH [R01 MH116981]
  • Passive sonar for cavitation detection in the brain. Office of Naval Research [GRANT12716430]
  • Characterization of soft fibrous materials by MRI of ultrasound-induced shear wavesNSF/CMMI [#1727412]
  • Image-guided drug delivery for improved treatment of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. Children’s Discovery Institute [MC-II-2017-637]
  • Focused Ultrasound‐enabled Brain Tumor Liquid Biopsy. Washington University Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research Seed Grant 2019
  • Focused Ultrasound‐enabled Brain Tumor Liquid Biopsy: Detecting Brain Cancer Without a Knife. Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS)
  • Noninvasive, Localized, and Direct Brain Drug Delivery by Focused Ultrasound-mediated Intranasal Delivery (FUSIN). American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant [IRG-58-010-61-1]
  • MR-compatible Focused Ultrasound for Measuring Mechanical Properties of Deep Brain Tissue at High Frequencies. Office of Naval Research DURIP
  • Focused ultrasound-enabled brain tumor liquid biopsy. Clinical-Biology Seed Grant from the Department of Radiation Oncology
  • Focused ultrasound-enabled delivery of theranostic liposomes for cancer treatment. Center for Myeloma Medical Nanotechnology Seed Grant
  • Noninvasive, localized, and controlled delivery of gold nanoparticles for enhancing radiotherapy of brain tumors. SEAS Collaboration Initiation Grants.