Dr. Defante graduated with a Ph.D. in Polymer Science at the University of Akron. There he focused on understanding interfacial phenomena in underwater environments by combining surface sensitive spectroscopy with contact mechanics. He spent time at the National Institute Standards of Technology collaborating with the pharmaceutical industry to understand manufacturing stability of monoclonal antibodies. Currently, he is a Sr. Scientist at Hollister Inc. an employee owned company, based in Libertyville, IL focused on delivering medical products in ostomy and continence care. In his spare time he films episodes of ‘Chemists in the Kitchen‘, an effort led by LabX of the National Academy of Sciences.