Destroying Tumors With Sound: Histotripsy with Dr. Zhen Xu

From First Principles · Nov 5, 2026 · 1h 4m · transcript

Can sound destroy a tumor without an incision? Dr. Zhen Xu joins Krishna Choudhary to explain histotripsy: focused ultrasound that creates tiny bubbles to mechanically break apart tissue, without relying on heat.

From a noise complaint in a University of Michigan lab to the Edison system, Xu traces the unexpected discovery, the physics of cavitation, and the decades of research behind noninvasive liver-tumor treatment. We explore surprising immune effects in animal studies, the #HOPE4LIVER clinical trials, and what remains to be tested for other organs.

Recorded in Washington, D.C., on…