Peng Gao

PhD
  • Assistant Professor

Dr. Peng Gao is an analytical chemist trained in both environmental and biomedical sciences. He earned his Ph.D. degree from the University of Florida and then worked on human exposome projects at the Stanford University School of Medicine as a Postdoctoral Scholar. His research focuses on multidisciplinary fields in environmental health sciences, environmental chemistry and toxicology, analytical chemistry, and metagenomics. Specifically, he is interested in applying mass spectrometry-based targeted and non-targeted analyses to determine the environmental contaminants and xenobiotics in environmental and biological samples. Also, he is interested in applying next- and third-generation sequencing approaches to investigate the chemical-microbial interactions. Last, he is interested in integrating internal multi-omics with the exposomics profile to investigate the holistic human health impacts of the exposome and better understand the etiology of idiopathic and chronic diseases. He has published nearly forty articles in various top environmental and biomedical sciences journals, peer-reviewed nearly four hundred articles, and currently serves as the editorial board member of Environmental Pollution, Chemosphere, Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, and Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology.

Education

2019 | University of Florida | Doctor of Philosophy, Soil and Water Sciences, Minors: Toxicology & Environmental Engineering Sciences
2015 | Case Western Reserve University | Master of Science, Chemistry
2013 | China Agricultural University | Bachelor of Science, Chemistry

Teaching

PUBHT 0421 - Health Consequences of Atmospheric Pollution and Climate Change

EOH 2310 - Molecular Fundamentals

Selected Publications
  1. Wen Tian, Peng Gao1, Da-Peng Zong, Jian-Jun Liu, Jian-Min Wang, Jiao-Yang Ma, Cheng-Chen Wang, Ping Xiang. Human health risks of consuming wild vegetables from mining areas in Southwest China: oral bioaccessible heavy metals and gingival cytotoxicity. Frontiers in Nutrition 2022; 9: 1042300.
     
  2. Xiaotao Shen, Hong Yan, Chuchu Wang, Peng Gao, Caroline Johnson, Michael Snyder. TidyMass: An Object-oriented Reproducible Analysis Framework for LC-MS Data. Nature Communications 2022; 13: 4365.
     
  3. Peng Gao, Xiaotao Shen, Xinyue Zhang, Chao Jiang, Sai Zhang, Xin Zhou, Sophia Miryam Schüssler-Fiorenza Rose, Michael Snyder. Precision environmental health monitoring by longitudinal exposome and multi-omics profiling. Genome Research2022; 32: 1199–1214.
     
  4. Sai Zhang, Johnathan Cooper-Knock, Annika K. Weimer, Minyi Shi, Lina Kozhaya, Dera Unutmaz, Calum Harvey, Thomas H. Julian, Simone Furini, Elisa Frullanti, Francesca Fava, Alessandra Renieri, Peng Gao, Xiaotao Shen, Ilia Sarah Timpanaro, Kevin P. Kenna, J. Kenneth Baillie, Mark M. Davis, Philip S. Tsao, Michael Snyder. Multiomic analysis reveals cell-type-specific molecular mechanisms of COVID-19 severity. Cell Systems 2022; 13: 1-17.
     
  5.  Jie Wang, Peng Gao1, Meng-Ying Li, Jing-Ya Li, Dan-Lei Yang, Dao-Lei Cui, Ping Xiang. Dermal bioaccessibility and cytotoxicity of heavy metals in urban soils from a typical plateau city: Implication for human health. Science of The Total Environment 2022; 835: 155544.
     
  6. Wenxin Hu, Peng Gao, Lei Wang, Jianying Hu. Endocrine Disrupting Toxicity of Aryl Organophosphate Esters and Mode of Action. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 2022; doi: 10.1080/10643389.2022.2050147.
     
  7. Min Xu, Yang Lin, Evandro B. da Silva, Qinghong Cui, Peng Gao, Jun Wu, Lena Q. Ma. Effects of copper and arsenic on their uptake and distribution in As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata. Environmental Pollution 2022; 300: 118982.
     
  8. Min Xu, Peng Gao, Jun Wu, Jing Ma, Xiaohong Zhang, Gang Yang, Lulu Long, Chao Chen, Chun Song, Yinlong Xiao. Biochar promotes arsenic sequestration on iron plaques and cell walls in rice roots. Chemosphere 2022; 288 (1): 132422.
     
  9. Peng Gao*, Michael Snyder. Exposome-wide association study for metabolic syndrome. Frontiers in Genetics 2021; 12: 783930.
     
  10. Xinyue Zhang, Peng Gao1, Michael Snyder. The Exposome in the Era of the Quantified Self. Annual Review of Biomedical Data Science 2021; 4: 255–77.
     
  11. Chao Jiang, Xinyue Zhang, Peng Gao1, Qiong Chen, Michael Snyder. Decoding personal biotic and abiotic airborne exposome. Nature Protocols 2021; 16: 1129–1151.
     
  12. Peng Gao*. The Exposome in the Era of One Health. Environmental Science & Technology 2021; 55(5): 2790-2799.
     
  13. Jialin Xu, Wenxin Hu, Donghai Liang, Peng Gao*. Photochemical impacts on the toxicity of PM2.5. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 2022; 52(1): 130–156.
     
  14. Evandro B. da Silva, Peng Gao1, Min Xu, Dongxing Guan, Xianjin Tang, Lena Q. Ma. Background concentrations of trace metals As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn in 214 Florida urban soils: Different cities and land uses.Environmental Pollution 2020; 264: 114737.
     
  15. Ying Guo, Steven J. Laux, Melissa Burdier, Peng Gao, Lena Q. Ma, Timothy G. Townsend. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in processed yard trash. Waste Management & Research 2020; 38(8): 825-830.
     
  16. Min Xu, Evandro B. da Silva, Peng Gao, Ruiting Liao, Jun Wu, Jing Ma, Gang Yang, Xiaohong Zhang, Yinlong Xiao, Lulu Long. Biochar impact on chromium accumulation by rice through Fe microbial-induced redox transformation. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2020; 388: 121807.
     
  17. Yong Teng, Qixing Zhou, Peng Gao. Applications and challenges of elemental sulfur, nanosulfur, polymeric sulfur, sulfur composites, and plasmonic nanostructures. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 2019; 49(24): 2314–2358.
     
  18. Peng Gao, Min Xu, Yalan Liu, Evandro B. da Silva, Ping Xiang, Lena Q. Ma. Emerging and legacy PAHs in urban soils of four small cities: Concentrations, distribution, and sources. Science of The Total Environment 2019; 685: 463-470.
     
  19. Peng Gao, Evandro B. da Silva, Timothy Townsend, Xue Liu, and Lena Q. Ma. Emerging PAHs in urban soils: concentrations, bioaccessibility, and spatial distribution. Science of The Total Environment 2019; 670: 800-805.
     
  20. Jing Su, Peng Gao, Steven J. Laux, Lena Q. Ma, Timothy G. Townsend. Contribution of asphalt products to total and bioaccessible polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.International Journal of Environmental Research 2019; 13: 499–509.
     
  21. Min Xu, Peng Gao, ZhiJun Yang, LinLin Su, Jun Wu, Gang Yang, Xiaohong Zhang, Jing Ma, Hong Peng, Yinlong Xiao. Biochar impacts on phosphorus cycling in rice ecosystem. Chemosphere 2019; 225: 311-319.
     
  22. Peng Gao, Yungen Liu, Xue Liu, Yan Wang, Ziquan Wang, Lena Q. Ma. Spatial and temporal changes of P and Ca distribution and fractionation in soil and sediment in a karst farmland-wetland system. Chemosphere 2019; 220: 644-650.
     
  23. Yungen Liu, Peng Gao1, Jing Su, Evandro B. da Silva, Letúzia M. de Oliveira, Timothy Townsend, Ping Xiang, Lena Q. Ma. PAHs in urban soils of two Florida cities: Background concentrations, distribution, and sources. Chemosphere 2019; 214: 220-227.
     
  24. Ping Xiang, Yue Jia, Kun Wang, Meng-Ying Li, Yi-Shu Qin, Rui-Wen He, Peng Gao, Yungen Liu, Xue Liu, Lena Q. Ma. Water extract of indoor dust induces tight junction disruption in normal human corneal epithelial cells. Environmental Pollution 2018; 243: 301-307.
     
  25. Peng Gao, Evandro da Silva, Lei Hou, Nancy D. Denslow, Ping Xiang, Xue Liu, Lena Q. Ma. Human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: metabolomics perspective. Environment International 2018; 119: 466–477.
     
  26. Letuzia M. de Oliveira, Suchismita Das, Evandro da Silva, Peng Gao, Julia Gress, Yungen Liu, Lena Q. Ma. Metal concentrations in traditional and herbal teas and their potential risks to human health. Science of the Total Environment 2018; 633: 649-657.
     
  27. Peng Gao, Hongbo Li, Chris P. Wilson, Timothy G. Townsend, Ping Xiang, Yungen Liu, Lena Q. Ma. Source identification of PAHs in soils based on stable carbon isotopic signatures. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 2018; 48(13-15), 923-948.
     
  28. Ping Xiang, Rui-Wen He, Rong-Yan Liu, Kan Li, Peng Gao, Xin-Yi Cui, Hongbo Li, Yungen Liu, Lena Q. Ma. Cellular responses of normal (HL-7702) and cancerous (HepG2) hepatic cells to dust extract exposure. Chemosphere 2018; 193: 1189-1197.
     
  29. Letuzia M. de Oliveira, Das Suchismita, Evandro B. da Silva, Peng Gao, Lilit Vardanyan, Yungen Liu, Lena Q. Ma. Interactive effects of chromate and arsenate on their uptake and speciation in Pteris ensiformis. Plant and Soil 2018; 422: 515-526.
     
  30. Shujun Zhang, Chao Li, Yunzi Li, Ruirui Zhang, Peng Gao, Xinyi Cui, Lena Q. Ma. Bioaccessibility of PAHs in contaminated soils: Comparison of five in vitro methods with Tenax as a sorption sink. Science of The Total Environment 2017; 601-602: 968-974.
     
  31. Ping Xiang, Rongyan Liu, Chao Li, Peng Gao, Xinyi Cui, Lena Q. Ma. Effects of organophosphorus flame retardant TDCPP on normal human corneal epithelial cells: Implications for human health. Environmental Pollution 2017; 230: 22-30.
     
  32. Chao Li, Ruirui Zhang, Yunzi Li, Shujun Zhang, Peng Gao, Xinyi Cui, Lena Q.Ma. Relative bioavailability and bioaccessibility of PCBs in soils based on a mouse model and Tenax-improved physiologically-based extraction test. Chemosphere 2017; 186: 709-715.
     
  33. Kan Li, Peng Gao, Ping Xiang, Xuxiang Zhang, Xinyi Cui, Lena Q. Ma. Molecular mechanisms of PFOA-induced toxicity in animals and humans: Implications for health risks. Environment International 2017; 99: 43–54.
     
  34. Zhicheng Jin, Jessica M. Berthiaume, Qingling Li, Fabrice Henry, Zhong Huang, Sushabhan Sadhukhan, Peng Gao, Gregory P. Tochtrop, Michelle A. Puchowicz, Guo-Fang Zhang. Catabolism of 4-hydroxy-2 (E/I)-nonenal via omega- and omega-1 oxidation: Stimulated by ketogenic diet. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2014; 289: 32327-32338.
     
  35. Songqing Li, Tong Li, Peng Gao, Runhua Lu, Wenfeng Zhou, Haixiang Gao. Slow-injection ultrasound-assisted emulsification-microextraction for determination of phthalate esters in water. Journal of chromatographic science 2014; 52: 1127-1134.
     
  36. Jiaheng Zhang, Zhe Liang, Hao Guo, Peng Gao, Runhua Lu, Wenfeng Zhou, Sanbing Zhang, Haixiang Gao. Ionic liquid-based totally organic solvent-free emulsification microextraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography for the determination of three acaricides in fruit juice. Talanta 2013; 115: 556–562.
     
  37. Songqing Li, Peng Gao, Jiaheng Zhang, Yubo Li, Bing Peng, Haixiang Gao, Wenfeng Zhou. Sequential dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the determination of aryloxyphenoxy-propionate herbicides in water. Journal of Separation Science 2012; 35: 3389-3395.
Department/Affiliation
Environmental and Occupational Health
Primary Faculty
Peng Gao
Contact Peng Gao

Room 4130
130 DeSoto Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261

peg47@pitt.edu
website: https://penggaolab.github.io/