Destroying Tumors With Sound: Histotripsy with Dr. Zhen Xu

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 September 28, 2026, before the Golden Goose Awards ceremony. Xu is a histotripsy co-inventor, HistoSonics co-founder, and U-M's Li Ka Shing Professor of Biomedical Engineering. This is the first interview in our Golden Goose series. CHAPTERS 00:00 The discovery that became histotripsy 00:50 A PhD student and a heart problem 03:42 Heat vs. sound: how histotripsy works 07:06 Gas pockets, and why not the lungs 09:06 The first paper (2004) 09:38 "Don't read any papers": Yellow Pages and pig hearts 12:29 Too loud: rethinking the ultrasound pulse 14:56 "Almost like smoke": the 2002 discovery 18:14 Building…