Over the years, chemical biology methods have made an important contribution to the study of integral membrane proteins. A key modern approach is genetic code expansion (GCE), which makes it possible to modify proteins directly in living cells to give them tailor-made properties. Professor Irene Coin from Leipzig University is a pioneer in this field. Together with her US colleague Professor Thomas Sakmar (Rockefeller University, New York), she has now published a comprehensive overview of the development of GCE technology and its application in the renowned journal Chemical Reviews. The non-profit organisation Addgene has also honoured her lab with its Blue Flame Award.