By Chang-Sheng Mei, Professor, Department of Physics, Soochow University, Taiwan & Researcher, Harvard Medical School
On September 6th and 7th, I had the honor to speak at the “New Horizons in Medicine” lecture series. Although my lecture was virtual, the enthusiastic engagement and thoughtful questions from attendees highlighted the event’s success. My presentation focused on “MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS),” an advanced and highly effective non-invasive procedure offering new hope to patients suffering from tremors caused by essential tremor or Parkinson’s disease.
This event would not have been possible without months of careful planning by the organizers. Special thanks to Ai-Lin Chung, president of the Hakka Association of New York, and Kun-Shan Huang, president of the NY chapter of National Tsing Hua University alumni, along with the entire support team. Their dedication and hard work made it possible for the lecture to reach and engage an international audience.
My own journey to medicine is somewhat unconventional. With a physics background—earning a bachelor’s degree from National Central University, a master’s from National Tsing Hua University, and a PhD from Boston College—I focused primarily on physics before turning to medicine. Driven by curiosity and a desire to help people, I began research in focused ultrasound and MRI at Harvard Medical School, work that also formed the basis of my doctoral dissertation. Since then, I have continued to dedicate myself to clinical research and the application of innovative medical technologies.
I hope my story can encourage students outside traditional medical paths: even if you’re not in medical school, your skills in other fields—like physics, engineering, or computing—can play a vital role in healthcare. My expertise in medical physics allows me to work alongside top neurosurgeons in clinical surgery, contributing to the safety and success of each procedure. MRgFUS is at the forefront of neurosurgical innovation, and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, our team has successfully treated nearly 700 patients. My role as an MR physicist is highly specialized and essential, encompassing everything from preparing and calibrating equipment to intraoperative MRI thermometry and real-time focused ultrasound adjustments, ensuring each procedure is safe and effective.
Research can often feel isolating, filled with setbacks and long periods of uncertainty. Yet, treating patients provides a sense of fulfillment that no publication can match. MRgFUS procedures are performed while patients are fully awake, usually completed in under an hour. Many patients arrive unable to hold a cup or sign a document due to years of debilitating tremor. Seeing them perform these simple tasks post-surgery, stable and confident, is a moment of genuine wonder. I’ve witnessed patients’ tears of joy and disbelief, fist bumps with our team, and heartfelt expressions of gratitude. These moments remind me why I pursued medicine: to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
I consider myself an ordinary person, not naturally gifted in academics, yet here I am, speaking in New York, a city full of brilliant minds from around the world. It’s a tremendous honor. I remain committed to advancing MRgFUS research and continuing to improve the lives of more patients in the future.
Afterword: A Friendship and an Honor Across Time and Distance
My connection with President Ai-Lin dates back two years, when I accompanied my daughter to New York for her studies. Learning that she, too, was an alumna of Soochow University where I teach, I reached out. She welcomed me warmly and even hosted me in her home for several days. Those moments were filled with kindness and hospitality, making me feel truly at home. What impressed me most was her tireless dedication to others. She devotes so much time and energy to helping, listening, and supporting her community.
In one of our conversations, she discovered that I was serving at Harvard Medical School and immediately extended a heartfelt invitation for me to give a lecture at the Cultural Center. Such sincerity was impossible to refuse, and that became the beginning of this meaningful exchange.
Looking back on my childhood, from playing marbles in the military dependents’ villages of Taipei to climbing longan trees in the countryside of Tainan, I often call myself nothing more than an ordinary person. Yet to have the chance to share our medical research in New York, one of the world’s greatest cities, has been one of the greatest honors of my life.
My only regret is that I couldn’t be there in person due to visa issues, leaving me to deliver the lecture online. I sincerely look forward to the day I can return to New York, meet our community face-to-face, and share an in-person lecture on the latest applications and progress of MRgFUS surgery in neuroscience.
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