Ryan got hooked on encoding new amino acids in 2001 and ever since his research has focused on developing GCE and using the technology to study protein structure and function. He received organic synthesis and mechanistic enzymology training under Tadhg Begley at Cornell University and chemical biology/protein engineering training under Peter Schultz at Scripps Research Institute. In 2011, Ryan relocated to Oregon State University, to expand his research program and continue to advance GCE technologies and their use by the scientific community. Ryan serves as director of the GCE4All Research Center.