Histotripsy's Zhen Xu scores double honors; Solina Chau praises 'perfect union' of tech and humanity

Zhen Xu, the Li Ka Shing Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan and co-inventor of the non-invasive cancer treatment Histotripsy, has received two major international honors.

Xu, who is also a co-founder of HistoSonics, was named to the 2026 TIME100 Health list and received the Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature, jointly presented by Sony and the scientific journal Nature.

Solina Chau Hoi-shuen, director of the Li Ka Shing Foundation and co-founder of Horizons Ventures, praised Xu’s achievements in a recent speech at Tokyo University of Science.

During her address, Chau thanked institutional partners for their belief “that science and humanity can, and should, advance together, not in opposition.”

Histotripsy is a novel treatment that uses focused ultrasound, guided by precise data and imaging, to liquefy diseased tissue without surgery. The approach works in harmony with the body’s natural healing mechanisms.

Chau said the significance of the breakthrough lies not only in technological advancement but also in its compassionate application.

“This is the promise and purpose of Histotripsy: if we can relieve suffering without compounding it—why not? If technology can serve as an instrument of compassion—why not?” she said.

Referring to the ancient lament by Virgil that “the remedy makes us ill,” as well as the proverb Ichinan satte mata ichinan, which suggests that one problem is resolved only for another to arise, Chau urged a shift in mindset.

Instead, she proposed a new possibility: “that the remedy is the cure,” describing her vision of turning sound into healing and innovation into hope.