Engineering acoustic strategies for targeted therapeutic delivery and biomarker release across biological barriers.

Building on our understanding of ultrasound-mediated transport, wave propagation, and closed-loop control, we engineer noninvasive platforms to regulate molecular transport across the blood–brain barrier and within solid tumors. By tightly integrating computational transport modeling with rigorous experimental validation, spanning advanced in vitro biomimetic platforms to translational animal models, we quantitatively map and optimize how acoustic mechanical and thermal stress fields govern vascular permeability, interstitial transport, and localized drug release. Our platforms have been validated across small-molecule chemotherapeutics, thermosensitive nanocarriers, immune-checkpoint inhibitors, nucleic acids, and cell-based therapies.

We also exploit ultrasound-mediated transport in the opposite direction, releasing tumor-derived biomarkers into the bloodstream for liquid biopsy. By temporarily altering microvascular permeability under real-time feedback, this approach provides a noninvasive framework for high-yield molecular characterization, early detection, and longitudinal monitoring of treatment response in central nervous system diseases.