Anthony J MelchiorriAnthony J. Melchiorri grew up in a central Illinois town called Normal. Since then he has done his best to venture beyond the normal. He has eaten tarantulas in Cambodia, rode horses with gauchos in the Andes Mountains, explored abandoned KGB prisonsin Estonia, and meditated in ancient temples with Buddhist monks in Japan and Thailand. Many of Anthony's books are inspired by a mixture of his travels and his background as a research scientist. While he earned a BA in English at the University of Iowa, he also completed a BSE in Biomedical Engineering. His career led him to the University of Maryland. There he graduated with a PhD in Bioengineering before running a research laboratory that specializes in 3D printing artificial organs and tissues. He has developed materials to 3D print blood vessels and cartilage, invented devices to extract bone samples from patients, and created cellular therapies to help heal wounds. Anthony currently calls Houston, Texas home with his wife and an untamable, growing collection of books. Read More Read Less