Principal Investigator
Jane Chung, PhD, RN, FGSA
Dr. Jane Chung is an Associate Professor at Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. Dr. Chung received a bachelor’s degree in nursing science and a Master's degree in nursing administration and leadership from Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. She obtained a Master of Science in Health Informatics and a PhD in Nursing from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Before joining Emory University, she served as an Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing.
During her career trajectory, she has received several intramural and extramural grants through various mechanisms, including the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (NIA). As the founder and director of the FIT lab, Dr. Chung’s research program aims to develop, apply, and evaluate technology applications to promote healthy aging among older adults including those from lower socioeconomic groups and with limited social networks. She also works on advancing the technology implementation science by exploring factors influencing the acceptability and sustained use of digital health technology among older adults and caregivers in a sociocultural context.
In recognition of the impact of her work, she has been selected as a fellow of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship Program for Nurse Leaders and Innovators and the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). She received numerous awards, including the Mid-Career Researcher Award from the Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS), Healthy Longevity Grand Challenge Catalyst Award by the National Academy of Medicine, and Geriatric Nursing Research Award from the Western Institute of Nursing. She was a fellow of the Latino Aging Research Resource Center, one of the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) funded by the NIA.
A fun fact: One of her bucket list goals is to visit all the U.S. national parks— she is always looking for her next outdoor adventure!
Project Coordinator
Chiquita Cade, MPH, PMP
Chiquita Cade is a proud first-generation college graduate with a strong academic foundation in public health and biology. She earned both her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Georgia State University. During her graduate studies, she developed a passion for data-driven research and community health, which laid the groundwork for her career in public health research and project coordination.
Chiquita’s professional experience is rooted in community engagement and health equity. She previously served as the Project Coordinator for the Represent ATL research project, part of the National Institutes of Health’s RADx-UP initiative. In this role, she worked closely with community partners, led participant recruitment efforts, and facilitated culturally responsive data collection among Black and African American communities in Atlanta. Her work emphasized building trust with research-reticent populations and ensuring that community voices were central to the research process.
Her professional interests include prison reform, addressing homelessness and food insecurity, and ensuring that older adults remain connected, informed, and valued in an ever-evolving world.
A Fun Fact: Chiquita is a proud morning person who swears that being up before 7 a.m. unlocks secret bonus hours in the day. While others are still snoozing, she’s already enjoying the quiet, getting things done, and feeling like she’s cracked the code to time itself.
Post Doctoral Fellow
Juyoung Park, PhD, MS
Dr. Juyoung Park is a postdoctoral fellow in the Future Innovations for Technology and Aging (FIT) Lab at Emory University Nell Hodgson School of Nursing. She earned her PhD in Social Work and a Master of Science in Gerontology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Her research focuses on gerontological social work, with particular attention to the mental health of older adults, social isolation and loneliness, elder mistreatment, and health disparities in aging populations. She enjoys connecting with older adults in the community, and her time volunteering at the Koreatown Senior and Community Center in Los Angeles showed her how eager older adults are to learn and use computers, smartphones, and the internet, despite often lacking opportunities to do so. This experience inspired her to explore how digital technology can best support aging populations in achieving a better quality of life.
A fun fact: She enjoys Friday movie nights watching animated films with her family!
Hyoeun Jang, PhD
Dr. Hyoeun Jang earned a PhD in Nursing from Yonsei University in South Korea. Her research focuses on developing digital health-based interventions to alleviate psychological distress and support emotional recovery in patients who are newly diagnosed with cancer. The moment of diagnosis is often a major life crisis and a turning point for many patients. She aims to empower them to manage their psychological well-being from the early stages of their cancer journey by leveraging digital tools, while also establishing systems that allow healthcare professionals to continuously monitor mental health and provide proactive, timely interventions when needed.
A fun fact: She enjoys taking walks on sunny days and watching films; especially those based on historical events or in the science fiction genre.
Jae Jun Lee, PhD, MPH
Dr. Jae Lee is a visiting scholar at the Emory University Nell Hodgson School of Nursing and a member of the Future Innovation for Technology and Aging (FIT) Lab, where he is expanding his expertise in advancing digital health technologies and AI/ML based analytic methods for aging research. He is originally from South Korea and earned his Master’s degree in Public Health and a PhD in Nursing at Yonsei University.
His research interest center on healthy aging and geriatric health. He is examining health risk factors in older adults—such as frailty, falls, and sarcopenia; and developing data-driven strategies to support disease prevention and health promotion. He has extensive experience analyzing large-scale healthcare data, including electronic medical records and national insurance claims, and he is particularly interested in applying explainable AI and digital health approaches to improve outcomes for older adults across care settings.
A fun fact: He recharges by taking quiet breaks; sometimes his favorite weekend plan is simply doing nothing and resetting for the week.
Doctorate Students
Daum Chung, RN, MSC
Daum Chung is from South Korea. She completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing at Hanyang University and worked as a nurse for three years at a regional emergency medical center in Korea.
During her Master's program, she had the opportunity to participate in several research projects focused on older adults, where she engaged with community-dwelling and long-term care residents, dementia patients, and their caregivers.
These experiences deepened her desire to support them not only through clinical practice but also through tech-related research. Chung felt a strong commitment to advocating for their unique needs and challenges, which ultimately inspired her to pursue a PhD.
A fun Fact: She is a huge fan of detective and mystery novels and movies!
Rajib Biswas RN, BSN, MPS, MSN
Rajib Biswas is a second-year PhD student in Nursing at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University. He completed his undergraduate degree in Nursing Science, followed by a Master’s in Population Sciences and a Master’s in Nursing in Bangladesh. Rajib's research focuses on aging, with a particular emphasis on dementia caregiving, Alzheimer's disease, and injury prevention. Through his work with the Aging Hub, he aims to explore strategies for promoting healthy aging by leveraging modern resources in a cost-effective manner.
A fun fact: He loves watching movies and traveling abroad!
Christy Destin, MPH, BS
Christy Destin holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Epidemiology with a Certificate in Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology. She is passionate about rare diseases, cancer, the biological clock, and healthy aging. She joined this research community to deepen her knowledge and contribute to advancements in these areas. One of her main goals is to apply her skills in epidemiology to make a meaningful impact in public health and to support gerontology research.
She holds a bachelor's degree in biology, with a pre-med focus, and a minor in Psychology from Georgia State University. During her studies, she developed a strong foundation in the biological sciences and became deeply interested in public health, which led her to pursue further education.
In addition to her academic achievements, she also volunteered at hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, assisting older adults and providing support to vulnerable populations during a critical time. This experience further fueled her dedication to improving public health and supporting aging populations.
A fun fact: She speaks three languages and is hoping to add Korean as her fourth!
Tiffany Yoo, BS in Public Health
Tiffany Yoo is a Master of Public Health student in Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health. Her interests center on improving the quality, coordination, and accessibility of healthcare. She is particularly passionate about how data can be used to inform decision-making and address barriers that prevent patients from receiving equitable support. She joined this research community to deepen her understanding of how patient experiences and behavioral data can guide more patient-centered approaches to care.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, with a minor in Psychology, from Tulane University. During her studies, she developed a strong foundation in population health and health systems and became increasingly interested in how organizational structures and policies shape real-world patient outcomes. This led her to pursue further training focused on system-level improvement and the integration of evidence into practice.
A fun fact: She loves exploring new coffee shops and playing pickleball!
Harsit Upadhya, BS
Harsit Upadhya is a Master's student in Computer Science at Emory University's Laney Graduate School, with a strong foundation in AI, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing. His academic journey began with a bachelor's in information science and engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University, where he graduated with distinction.
His research interests lie at the intersection of machine learning and natural language processing. He has published work on improving cross-lingual understanding across multiple languages and has developed projects including an advanced scientific paper summarization system using the PEGASUS model. He is particularly passionate about improving the fundamental building blocks of deep learning.
He is looking forward to applying his expertise in AI/ML to advance our research initiatives at Fit Research, collaborating with the team to develop innovative solutions, and contributing to groundbreaking developments in our field.
A fun fact: When he is not coding or doing research, you can find him either on the cricket field trying to perfect his bowling technique or binge-watching his favorite anime series!
Undergraduate
Susanna Steinberg
Susanna Steinberg is a Freshman at Emory University, majoring in Biology and Human Health to develop a holistic understanding of health. She spent her high school years planning intergenerational events for older adults to combat social isolation. She is continuing her interest in improving health outcomes for older adults through involvement in the FIT lab.
Through involvement at the CDC Museum, leadership in Emory’s interdisciplinary STEM and Humanities magazine, political engagement on campus, and public health research, she aims to champion scientific communication and health equity.
A fun fact: She has a twin brother!