Andrew Ellington featured on The Best of Our Knowledge

As always, host Bob Barrett selects an Academic Minute to air during The Best of Our Knowledge.

Each week this program examines some of the issues unique to college campuses, looks at the latest research, and invites commentary from experts and administrators from all levels of education.

For this week‘s edition (#1337), Bob has selected Andrew Ellington’s segment. A professor in the department of molecular biosciences at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Ellington’s segment explores fighting cancer by thinking small.

Andy Ellington uses evolutionary techniques — in particular, a method known as “directed evolution” — to engineer biopolymers, cells, and even entire organisms that can help solve real-world problems, including diagnosing and monitoring disease, creating new biosynthetic pathways for drugs, and even making novel ‘matter computers’ that may herald a revolution in ‘smart objects.’ He also leads a project called DIY Diagnostics, which marshals a team of undergraduate researchers to develop fast, inexpensive environmental sensors for mosquito-borne viruses such as malaria and Zika.

Listen to The Best of Our Knowledge on WAMC.org or any of its carriage stations.