Andrew E. Pelling obtained his HBSc in 2001 at the University of Toronto before moving to UCLA where he completed a PhD (Physical Chemistry) in 2005. Andrew then moved to the London Centre for Nanotechnology and Department of Medicine (University College London) as a Research Fellow and subsequently promoted to Senior Research Fellow. In 2008 he moved to the University of Ottawa as an Assistant Professor in Biological Physics and named a Canada Research Chair in Experimental Cell Mechanics. His research is primarily focused on the integration of multiple optical techniques with AFM to study how nanomechanical forces can be used to manipulate and control single cells, tissues, organs and whole organisms. His highly collaborative exploratory research has led to many discoveries and projects in both the arts and sciences.