Professor Andrews leads the nanophotonics and quantum electrodynamics research group at UEA. The interests of his research group broadly concern developing the theory of molecular interactions - with each other, and with light - in terms of quantum electrodynamics (QED). Quantum electrodynamics is essentially the study of how matter interacts with light, treating both matter and light quantum mechanically. The QED group at UEA has been at the forefront in applications ranging from spectroscopy and nonlinear optics to the intermolecular transport of energy. Present research topics fall into four main areas: Molecular energy transfer and light harvesting; Nonlinear optics and photonics; Structured light and optical vortices; Laser-induced optical binding and inter-particle forces. The group enjoys strong international links, particularly with groups in Australia, Canada, Lithuania, New Zealand and the United States.

Prof. Andrews has over 400 research papers and also more than twenty books to his name, including as author an Introduction to Photon Science and Technology, and as Editor-in-Chief a four-volume Wiley series on Photonics, and a five-volume Elsevier series entitled Comprehensive Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. He serves on the Editorial Boards of several international journals.