Department Directory — Eric Gibbs

Dr. Eric Gibbs graduated with a BA in Physics from BYU in 2013 and earned a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Duke University under the guidance of Dr. Chunlei Liu. There, he worked on engineering ion channels such that they would be sensitive to radiowaves for non-invasive modulation of biological signaling pathways. 

Following his PhD, Dr. Gibbs did postdoctoral research under Dr. Sudha Chakrapani in the Department of Pharmacology at Case Western Reserve University. There, Dr. Gibbs studied the structure and function of protein ion channels and other protein machinery involved in neuronal signaling. He developed expertise in protein cryo-EM, which uses electrons as a short-wavelength probe to determine the structure of biological molecules at angstrom-level resolution.

At BYU, Dr. Gibbs studies the physics of how protein transporters and ion channels move ions or small molecules across lipid barriers and how the proteins themselves are trafficked and retained to the right locations. By applying physical principles such as conformational dynamics and molecular thermodynamics, our group generates insights that help us understand biology and develop strategies to address disorders related to cellular signaling. His current focus is on signaling proteins relevant to neuropathic pain, depression, and other neurological disorders.

Dr. Gibbs is currently looking for student researchers in physics, biology, or chemistry excited about working at the interface of physics and biology.