Sangchul Yoon

Sangchul Yoon (MD, PhD) is a professor at the College of Medicine, Yonsei University, and serves as the Vice Director of the Center for Global Development at Yonsei University Health System. A board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in cornea and preventive ophthalmology, he earned his PhD in Public Health from Yonsei University. At MIT D-Lab, Sangchul is providing measurement and evaluation (M&E) for the Design for Second Life Innovations project.

Sangchul is a global health professional with over 20 years in bridging the gap between laboratory research and real-world application, with a focus on innovative technologies such as digital health and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance healthcare accessibility and efficiency. In particular, his work has revolved around advancing global health initiatives in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including deploying digital health programs in rural areas across countries like Malawi, Bangladesh, Morocco, Nepal, and Vietnam.

In addition to his academic roles, Sangchul served as a global health advisor for the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), focusing on Official Development Assistance (ODA). Before joining the Yonsei University, he directed the Center for Global Health and Innovation at the National Medical Center (NMC) in South Korea, where he applied his knowledge of appropriate and innovative healthcare technologies for LMICs. He was a visiting associate professor at Harvard Medical School’s Program for Global Surgery and Social Change, where he contributed to the expansion of essential surgical interventions and health policy reforms in LMICs, and also worked as a consultant for the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office on its Essential Surgery Program.