Scientists are exploring millions of possible fentanyl structures, exploring their chemical properties to determine which are most likely to appear and what their data look like—to go beyond known threats and to detect unknown threats early and quickly.

Ashley Bradley works in a specialized laboratory hood where substances’ chemical properties are measured. The PNNL team uses such information to compile a library of data on known fentanyl variants.

PNNL scientists Kai-For Mo and Ashley Bradley help each other into personal protective equipment before working in the fentanyl laboratory.