SUMMARY
Some tissue diseases are associated with change of tissue elastic properties. For example, systemic sclerosis, interstitial lung disease, liver fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, atherosclerosis, heart failure, cancer and carpal tunnel syndrome are associated with stiffened tissue. The research interest of Xiaoming Zhang, Ph.D., is to develop novel, noninvasive techniques to measure tissue elastic properties and to translate those techniques into clinical use for assessing diseases in a safe, quantitative and cost-effective way.
Focus areas
- Noninvasive ultrasound surface wave elastography (SWE) technique for assessing interstitial lung disease. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a noninvasive clinical technology for evaluating lung disorders by measuring lung viscoelastic and structural changes due to various conditions.
- Novel noninvasive measurement of carpal tunnel pressure. The overall goal of this research is to develop a novel technology to noninvasively measure carpal tunnel pressure by detecting the change of wave propagation speed in a tendon using ultrasound elastography.
- Noninvasive measurement of ocular biomechanical properties using SWE. Dr. Zhang aims to develop a safe and noninvasive technique to measure ocular biomechanical properties for assessing the risks and understanding the mechanisms of glaucoma.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Zhang has developed novel techniques using ultrasound, acoustics and optics to measure tissue elastic properties noninvasively. The goal of Dr. Zhang's research is to translate these novel techniques into clinical use for improving assessment of disease severity, progression and treatment.
Professional highlights
- Mayo Clinic:
- President’s Discovery Translation Program Award, for "Novel Lung Ultrasound Surface Wave Elastography for Quantitatively Assessing Lung Diseases," 2024.
- Research Early Career Development Award for Non-Clinician Scientists, 2008-2011.
- National Institutes of Health:
- R01 award, HL125234, 2015-2019.
- R21 award, AR67421, 2015-2017.
- R21 award, EY026095, 2015-2017.