2025년 7월 31일
Max Planck–Yonsei IBS Center opens, launching world-leading joint research in nano-biomedical science
The renowned Max Planck Society (MPS), a German basic research institution with a 114-year legacy, has partnered with the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) to establish a new overseas joint research center—the Max Planck-Yonsei IBS Center for Nanomedicine Deep Tissue Control (MPYIC)—at Yonsei University.
The inauguration ceremony, held on July 28 at the IBS Hall Auditorium, was attended by Yonsei University President Dong Sup Yoon, IBS President Do Young Noh, Director-General for R&D Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT Taek Ryeol Jeong, Joachim Spatz (Director at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research), Peer Fischer (Group Leader), and other distinguished guests.
This collaborative initiative marks a significant milestone in strengthening international research cooperation. It comes one year after the visit of MPS President Patrick Cramer to Yonsei University, and is only the second such center established by MPS in Asia.
The inauguration began with a plaque unveiling ceremony in the IBS Hall lobby, followed by an official program featuring opening remarks by IBS President Do Young Noh, a welcome address by Yonsei University President Dong Sup Yoon, congratulatory speeches by Director-General Taek Ryeol Jeong and MPS President Patrick Cramer, and vision statements by Co-Directors Jinwoo Cheon and Joachim Spatz.
Co-Director Jinwoo Cheon stated, “The launch of MPYIC marks a turning point in developing innovative nanotechnologies that can non-invasively and precisely modulate deep tissues using magnetic fields and ultrasound.”
President Dong Sup Yoon expressed his commitment to the initiative, saying, “Yonsei University will actively support this exemplary model of transdisciplinary research collaboration with Max Planck and IBS, aiming to establish a world-class hub for convergent research.”
The MPYIC aims to develop AI-powered smart nanorobots capable of non-invasively targeting deep tissues and delivering therapeutics, with the ultimate goal of overcoming intractable diseases. The center will bring together leading institutions and researchers in nanoscience, neuroscience, and synthetic biology.
The IBS Center for Nanomedicine at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study will lead the development of AI-driven smart medical nanorobots for precision targeting of the nervous and immune systems. The Max Planck Institute for Medical Research will provide core technologies for ultrasound-based control and engineered immune cell modulation. The Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior will validate the technologies through brain circuit and behavioral analysis. Yonsei University Health System will support translational research by supplying disease models and assessing clinical applicability.
Serving as the central hub, MPYIC will promote active academic exchange among outstanding students, researchers, and faculty members from Korea and Germany. Through this global partnership, the center aims to elevate its international stature and become a premier global hub for nanomedicine. As a “first mover” in future science and technology, the center is expected to establish a new paradigm for next-generation basic research institutions, positioning Yonsei University as a central player in global research infrastructure and networks.