Prof. Zhongtao Hu, an expert in physical acoustics and medical ultrasound, joined Beihang University's School of Engineering Medicine as an Associate Professor in May 2023. He completed his Ph.D. in Acoustics at the Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2019. Subsequently, he served as a postdoctoral research scientist in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis from 2019 to 2023. His work primarily focuses on biomedical applications of ultrasound, including device development for transcranial ultrasound neuromodulation, targeted drug delivery to the brain, and novel ultrasound therapy and imaging methods for brain-related applications. Prof. Hu is an active member of several prestigious societies, including the Acoustic Society of China (ASC), Acoustic Society of America (ASA), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU).

Education:

·         Ph.D., Acoustics, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing, China), 2019

·         Visiting Scholar, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, Haifa University (Israel), 2017

·         B.S., Geophysics, Central South University (Changsha, China), 2014

Employment:

·         Postdoctoral research scientist, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, USA), 2023

Awards:

·         Poster award from 2022 GRC In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging, 2022

·         Traval award from The Acoustical Society of America, 2022

·         President’s award of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2019

·         National Scholarship, 2018

·         Student Travel Award from 2016 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, 2016

·         Outstanding Graduates of Central South University, 2014

Selected Publications:

·         Ye D., Chen S., Liu Y., Weixel C., Hu ZT., Yuan J. and Chen H., 2023. Mechanically manipulating glymphatic transport by ultrasound combined with microbubbles. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(21), p.e2212933120.

·         Hu ZT., Yang, Y., Ye, D., Chen, S., Gong, Y., Chukwu, C. and Chen, H., 2023. Targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to the mouse brain using a stereotactic-guided focused ultrasound device. STAR Protocols, 4(1), p.102132.

·         Yang Y., Yuan J., Field R., Ye D., Hu ZT., Gong Y., Xu K., Xu L., Yue Y., Kravitz A., Bruchas M., Cui J., Brestoff J. and Chen H., 2023. Induction of a torpor-like hypothermic and hypometabolic state in rodents by ultrasound. Nature Metabolism. , pp.1-15

·         Xu K., Yang Y., Hu ZT., Yue Y., Gong Y., Cui J., Culver J., Bruchas M. and Chen H., 2023. TRPV1-mediated sonogenetic neuromodulation of motor cortex in freely moving mice. Journal of Neural Engineering, 20(1), p.016055.

·         Hu ZT., Chen, S., Yang, Y., Gong, Y. and Chen, H., 2022. An affordable and easy-to-use focused ultrasound device for noninvasive and high precision drug delivery to the mouse brain. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 69(9), p. 2723–2732.

·         Hu ZT., Yang Y, Xu, L, Jing, Y. and Chen, H., 2022. Airy Beam-enabled Binary Acoustic Metasurfaces for Underwater Ultrasound Beam Manipulation. Physical Review Applied, 18(2), p. 024070.

·         Ye D., Yuan J., Yang Y., Yue Y., Hu ZT., Fadera Siaka, Chen H., 2022. Incisionless targeted adeno-associated viral vector delivery to the brain by focused ultrasound-mediated intranasal administration, EBioMedicine, 84, p.104277.

·         Hu ZT., Yang, YH., Xu, L., Hao, Y. and Chen, H., 2022. Binary acoustic metasurfaces for dynamic focusing of transcranial ultrasound. Frontiers in Neuroscience, p. 1473.

·         Xu L., Pacia C., Gong Y., Hu ZT., Chien CY., Yang LQ., Gach MH., Hao Y., Comron H., Huang JY., Leuthardt EC. and Chen H., 2022. Characterization of the Targeting Accuracy of a Neuronavigation-guided Transcranial FUS system in vitro, in vivo, and in silico, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 70(5), 1528-1538.

·         Hu ZT., Xu, L., Chien, C.Y., Yang, Y., Gong, Y., Ye, D., Pacia, C.P. and Chen, H., 2021. 3-D Transcranial Microbubble Cavitation Localization by Four Sensors. IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control, 68(11), p. 3336-3346.

Conference contributions:

·         Hu ZT., Yang Y., Xu L., Yao H. and Chen H., Binary acoustic metasurfaces for transcranial focused ultrasound. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 153, A140, Chicago, USA, 2023. [Oral presentation]

·         Hu ZT., Yang Y., Xu L., Jing Y. and Chen H., Airy Beam-enabled Binary Acoustic Metasurfaces for Ultrasound Focal Pattern Manipulation. International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU), Lyon, France, 2023. [Oral presentation]

·         Hu ZT., Chen S., Yang, Y., Gong, Y., and Chen, H., Tunable focused ultrasound device for high precise drug delivery to the mouse brain. IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), Venice, Italy, 2022. [Oral presentation]

·         Hu ZT., Yang Y Xu, L, Jing, Y. and Chen, H., Airy Beam-enabled Binary Acoustic Metasurfaces (AB-BAMs) for Ultrasound Focusing. Gordon Research Conference In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging, Ventura, CA, USA, 2022.

·         Hu ZT., Chen S., Yang, Y., Gong, Y., & Chen, H., Tunable focused ultrasound device for high precision drug delivery to the mouse brain, 8th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound, MD, USA, 2022. [Oral presentation]

·         Hu ZT., Chen S., Yang, Y., Gong, Y., and Chen, H., Miniature focused ultrasound device for high precise drug delivery to the mouse brain. Technologies in Brain Cancer Symposium, Detroit, MI, USA, 2022. [Poster presentation]

·         Hu ZT., Yang Y., Xu L., Ye D., Gong Y., Jing, Y., Hao Y. and Chen, H., Acoustic Metasurfaces for Transcranial Ultrasound Focusing. Neuroscience Retreat, St. Louis, MO, USA. [Poster presentation]

·         Hu ZT., Chen S., Yang, Y., Gong, Y., & Chen, H., An affordable and easy-to-use focused ultrasound device for noninvasive and high precision drug delivery to the mouse brain. International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU), Toronto, Canada, 2022. [Oral presentation]

·         Hu ZT., Xu L., Chien, C.Y., Yang, Y., Gong, Y., Ye, D., Pacia, C.P. and Chen, H., 3D Transcranial Cavitation Localization Using Four Sensors.  IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), Online, 2021. [Oral presentation]

·         Hu ZT., Xu L., Chien, C.Y., Yang, Y., Gong, Y., Ye, D., Pacia, C.P. and Chen, H., Transcranial cavitation localization by time difference of arrival algorithm using four sensors. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 148(4), pp.2560-2560, Online, 2020. [Oral presentation]