 Andrews graduated from Cate School in 1971, from University of California, San Diego in 1976, and earned his Ph.D. in Molecular and Population Genetics at the University of Georgia in 1981.Andrews first worked at the biotechnology company Armos Corporation, which was later purchased by Codon Corporation, which in turn was purchased by Berlex Biosciences, now known as Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals.In 1993, Andrews convinced Berlex to send him to an anti-aging conference at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where he met Calvin Harley of Geron Corporation.