Coulter BME Deepens Global Partnership with Yonsei University, Lays Groundwork for Joint Ph.D. Program

The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and Georgia Tech has taken a significant step toward establishing a joint Ph.D. program with Yonsei University, following a highly successful inaugural Yonsei–Emory–Georgia Tech Joint Biomedical Engineering Workshop held February 9–11, 2026.

The three‑day workshop, which brought 15 Yonsei University faculty members from Seoul to Atlanta, aimed to strengthen research collaboration among the three institutions. Faculty shared more than 40 short research presentations, toured labs and facilities across both the Georgia Tech and Emory campuses, and met with students, postdoctoral fellows, and leadership to explore a wide range of partnership opportunities.

“It was an honor to host 15 colleagues from Yonsei for a workshop to discuss topics in biomedical engineering. The energy surrounding the workshop was palpable, and I am looking forward to future workshops and collaborative programs,” said Department Chair Alyssa Panitch.

Hosted across both the Georgia Tech and Emory campuses, the workshop brought together faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows from all three institutions, bolstered by the support of Georgia Tech Vice Provost Bernard Kippelen and Emory Vice Provost Jane Gatewood. The Yonsei delegation was led by Vice President Won‑Yong Lee and National Research Lab Director Jae Whan Song.

Over the course of the event, faculty identified shared scientific interests, formed new collaborative research teams, and began outlining joint proposals. Discussions also highlighted opportunities for trainee exchanges and set the foundation for future collaborative programming—including the early planning stages for a joint biomedical engineering Ph.D. program linking Yonsei, Emory, and Georgia Tech.

Hanjoong Jo, associate chair for Emory Biomedical Engineering and co‑organizer of the event, emphasized both the personal and academic value of the visit.

“I was deeply grateful to the 15 Yonsei faculty members who came all the way from Seoul, and to our GT and Emory faculty members, students, and staff, for attending the Emory‑GT‑Yonsei BME Joint Workshop,” Jo said. “Over the three‑day workshop, I got to know the Yonsei faculty members personally, learned about their outstanding research interests and accomplishments, and felt their deep commitment to working with us to build a world‑class Yonsei BME Program.”

Building on the momentum from the workshop, Panitch and Jo plan to visit Yonsei University this summer. Their goal: accelerate the formation of cross‑institutional research collaborations and continue shaping the framework for the proposed joint Ph.D. program.

As Jo noted, the collaborative spirit of the workshop signals a bright future: “This is only the beginning.”

View the full photo gallery of the visit here.