Endy has been one of the early promoters of open source biology,[15] and helped start the Biobricks Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that will work to support open-source biology. He was also a co-founder of the now defunct Codon Devices, a biotechnologystartup company that aimed to commercialize synthetic biology.[16]
In 2009, Michael Specter called Endy "synthetic biology’s most compelling evangelist" in his book Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the Planet, and Threatens Our Lives,[17] as Endy is persistent in discussing both the prospects and dangers of synthetic biology.
Endy headed a team of researchers that in March 2013 created the biological equivalent of a transistor, which they dubbed a "transcriptor". The invention was the final of the three components necessary to build a fully functional biocomputer: data storage, information transmission, and a basic system of logic.[18]
Endy is a founder and steering group member of the Build-a-Cell Initiative, an international collaboration investigating creation of synthetic live cells.[19]
^Canton, B.; Labno, A.; Endy, D. (2008). "Refinement and standardization of synthetic biological parts and devices". Nature Biotechnology. 26 (7): 787–793. doi:10.1038/nbt1413. PMID18612302. S2CID19797363.
^Endy, Andrew David (1997). Development and application of a genetically-structured simulation for bacteriophage T7 (PhD thesis). Dartmouth College. ProQuest304348966.