Keunho Ahn

Papers

Total Citations

1,147

H-Index

About

Keunho Ahn has made transformative contributions at the intersection of microfluidics and directed evolution, pioneering ultrahigh-throughput screening technologies that have reshaped modern biotechnology. His landmark 2010 paper on drop-based microfluidics for directed evolution, with over 1,100 citations, introduced a paradigm-shifting platform capable of screening millions of enzyme variants per day—a dramatic leap over conventional methods. This work enabled researchers to explore vast sequence spaces with unprecedented speed and precision, accelerating the discovery of novel biocatalysts for industrial and therapeutic applications. Ahn’s innovations in compartmentalizing single cells or genes within picoliter droplets, coupled with fluorescence-activated sorting, have become foundational tools in synthetic biology and protein engineering. Beyond this seminal contribution, his research spans the design of high-throughput assays for studying complex biological systems, from metabolic pathways to evolutionary dynamics. Recognized for bridging engineering ingenuity with biological discovery, Ahn’s work continues to inspire new generations of researchers seeking to harness microfluidics for directed evolution, drug screening, and personalized medicine. His legacy is defined by a relentless drive to push the boundaries of what is possible in high-throughput experimentation.