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Andrew Ellington and his lab members use synthetic biology tools to augment living systems with novel chemistries. He is especially interested in expanding the genetic code to make new types of proteins and developing orthogonal neural receptors that can be used to probe and modulate pathways in the brain. In collaboration with Eric Anslyn, PhD, Ellington is working to establish training experiences for undergraduate and graduate chemistry and biochemistry majors, aimed at creating the next generation of scientist-leaders and/or scientist-entrepreneurs. He advocates for experiential and entrepreneurial education, especially the development of point-of-care diagnostics, where student-led approaches can result in new ways of monitoring for Zika virus and other pathogens, especially in resource-poor settings.