The object
Lihong Wang invented photoacoustic tomography and microscopy systems that convert light absorption into ultrasound signals for deep, nonionizing tissue imaging. Caltech credits his laboratory with these imaging inventions and its 2025–26 activity record documents ongoing work in medical-engineering instrumentation.
What Lihong did
Invented photoacoustic-tomography and photoacoustic-microscopy imaging systems that combine optical contrast with ultrasound detection.
Why it matters
Photoacoustic imaging created a distinctive instrument class that combines optical contrast with ultrasound depth for research and emerging clinical imaging.
Living-status check
Caltech’s current profile lists Wang as Cherng Medical Engineering Leadership Chair and Executive Officer, with 2025–26 laboratory activity; his laboratory records an August 2025 Stanford workshop presentation.