In the lab

 

Human monocytes anchor circulating breast cancer cells to vascular endothelium

LPS-activated human monocytes (circles) bind to and anchor circulating breast cancer cells (green) to the vascular endothelium. From Chen & Khismatullin, Cancer Letters 345, 75-84 (2014). 

We carry out experimental and theoretical research in three major areas: 1) biomechanics of myeloid, endothelial, and cancer cells2) therapeutic ultrasound; and 3) acoustic tweezing analysis of biological materials. In the first area, we aim to uncover the underlying causes of atherosclerosis, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. To achieve this, we study phenotypic changes in and interactions between human monocytes/macrophages, mast cells, vascular endothelial cells, and cancer cells under various pathophysiological conditions. This work employs advanced microscopy, flow cytometry, deformability cytometry, cytokine and proteomic analyses, microfluidic flow adhesion and migration assays, and state-of-the-art in silico modeling.   

In the second area, we investigate how living cells, tissues, and biological polymers respond to mechanical forces generated by acoustic waves. In particular, we explore the potential of combining focused ultrasound with specific chemical agents to induce cellular reprogramming. This innovative approach, referred to as "mechanochemical reprogramming", holds promise for applications such as nerve regeneration (e.g., in spinal cord injury and vision loss), cancer treatment, and genetic engineering/biotechnology. Our recent data demonstrate the complete regression of tumors in vivo post mechanochemical disruption (MCD) induced by focused ultrasound and ethanol, one of the histone acetylation agents.  

 

Mechanochemical disruption leads to complete tumor regression in vivo

MCD leads to complete regression of human prostate cancer xenografts. Shows are tumors on the flanks of nude mice at 14 days in the sham control group (left) and post-MCD treatment (right). From Murad et al. Mol. Cancer Res. 17, 1087-1101 (2019).
A levitated drop of blood oscillating during acoustic tweezing measurements
 

In the third area, we focus on developing novel acoustics-based methods for material characterization and medical diagnostics. We have patented "acoustic tweezing rheometry", a technology that measures material properties and their changes over time using a small, levitated drop of sample. Both our lab and our spinoff company, Levisonics Inc., currently translate the acoustic tweezing technology into clinical applications, such as blood coagulation analysis. Specifically, we investigate its use for monitoring and managing patients with hemophilia and sickle cell disease, those in critical care undergoing ECMO or hemodialysis, trauma and surgical patients requiring transfusions, cardiovascular patients on anticoagulant therapy, and patients with infectious diseases. 

McKenzie in the lab 2025
McKenzie Cummins is doing tweezing experiments in the lab (July 2025)
In the lab. July 2025
In the lab (July 2025)
Dr. Khismatullin lab 2025
Dr. Khismatullin is testing a new prototype of the acoustic tweezing device (July 2025)
Jeannette Nyiramana ASA 2025
Jeannette Nyiramana and the entry slide of her presentation at the ASA meeting in May 2025
Dr. Khismatullin ASA2025
Dr. Khismatullin is at the ASA meeting in May 2025
Dr. Khismatullin ISLH 2024
Dr. Khismatullin presents his work at the ISLH meeting in Nantes, France in June 2024
Damir and Carol
Dr. Khismatullin meets Dr. Carol Chen during his visit of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
On the campus of Coastal Carolina University (Summer 2023)
Near Gibson Hall (November 2022)
We are near Gibson Hall (November 2022)
Gibson Hall 2022
At the entrance to Gibson Hall (November 2022)
at the entrance to Boggs building 2022
At the entrance to the Boggs building (November 2022)
Group 2016
We are at the entrance to Gibson Hall in 2016
BMES 2015
Our lab is at the BMES 2015 meeting in Tampa, Florida
Group 2015 1
At the entrance to the Boggs building (September 2015)
Group 2015 2
Near the Boggs Building (September 2015)
We are near Boggs building. September 2015
Near the Boggs building (September 2015)
Group 2015 3
Near the Uptown Lab (September 2015)
From left to right: Aut Singhchinsuk, Damir Khismatullin, Scott Hymel, Kevin Luo, Vivien Yu, Gray Halliburton, Vince Sheng, Asis Lopez, Radhika Josi, Nithya Kasireddy, Alena Skaria, and Hakm Murad
Group 2014
Near the Boggs Building (October 2014)
Scott in the lab in 2014
Scott Hymel spent countless hours at this desk running simulations (circa 2014)
Group 2012
Near the Boggs Building (October 2012)
Lab 2012
In the Lab (October 2012)
Dr. Khismatullin in the lab 2011
Dr. Khismatullin is doing cell culture work in the lab (October 2011)
Group 2010
In the Lab (October 2010)
2010SR1
82nd Annual Meeting of The Society of Rheology - Sante Fe, New Mexico (October 24-28, 2010)
Dr. Khismatullin Damir and Weixiong Wang, presenting "Development of Multiple-Particle-Tracking Microrheology for Fluids Experiencing Deterministic Motion" (First Author: Yuan Teng)
2010BMES3
2010 BMES Annual Meeting - Austin, Texas, October 6-9, 2010
Hongzhi Lan, presenting "3-D Numerical Simulation of Lateral Migration of Deformable Particles and Cells in Shear Flow"
2010BMES1
2010 BMES Annual Meeting - Austin, Texas, October 6-9, 2010
Group Photo

Research Accomplishments

In collaboration with Dr. Bix's lab at Tulane University School of Medicine, we have successfully tested our acoustic tweezing technology for coagulation analysis of mouse blood. This work has been published in Viruses

Lab updates

In March of 2025, Dr. Georgy Sankin joined us as a Senior Research Scientist. He came from the Duke University School of Engineering. His research is supported by the DoD grant and focuses on the application of acoustic tweezing spectroscopy to monitoring and management of trauma-induced coagulopathy. 

News articles

Tulane News is preparing an article about our DoD-funded trauma-induced coagulopathy project.  

More to follow ...

Our Collaborators

 

Louisiana Cancer Research Center | LinkedIn

Ochsner Health System - Wikipedia

Texas Children's Hospital - Wikipedia

Working at LCMC Health / Children's Hospital New Orleans ...

Boston Children's Hospital - Wikipedia

IU School of Medicine Lectures and Events - Collections ...

 

Tulane Center for Clinical Research (TCCR) | Tulane School ...

 

Louisiana Center for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders Logo