Eric Gato

Dr. Eric Gato serves as a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Physics at Georgia Southern University's College of Science and Mathematics. His office is located in Statesboro Nursing & Chemistry Building Room 2235, with contact via phone (912) 478-5922 or email wgato@georgiasouthern.edu.

His educational background includes:

• B.S. from University of Cape Coast, Ghana (1999)
• M.S. from University of Nottingham, UK (2002)
• Ph.D. from Western Michigan University (2007)
• Postdoctoral training at Southern Illinois University

Dr. Gato's research program integrates environmental chemistry with molecular toxicology, focusing on mechanisms linking chemical exposures to disease. Key areas include toxicogenomic and proteomic responses to contaminants like 2-aminoanthracene, epigenetic alterations in pancreatic cancer development, and developmental origins of metabolic syndrome through in utero exposures. His environmental chemistry work examines fate/transport of heavy metals and nanomaterials in soil-water systems, including adsorption dynamics and soil property changes from seasonal burning. He also investigates chemical education pedagogy to optimize student learning outcomes in math-intensive topics.

Recent publications reveal strong thematic continuity in studying 2-aminoanthracene's impacts on diabetes markers, pancreatic function, and transgenerational health effects using proteomic and toxicogenomic approaches. His nanomaterials research spans biomedical applications and environmental behavior, while chemical education studies address curriculum design challenges. This work consistently bridges molecular mechanisms with environmental and public health implications.

Dr. Gato teaches diverse courses including Toxicology of Nanomaterials (Chem 3090/7090), Biochemistry I/II (BCHM 5201/5202), Principles of Biochemistry (Chem 3530), and introductory chemistry sequences (Chem 1145/1146), incorporating both lecture and laboratory instruction.