Erin Wachter
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Vice Chair of the Chemistry Program
Pre-Physician Assistant Advisor
Offices & Programs
Education
BS in Chemistry from Saint Vincent College
PhD in Chemistry from University of Kentucky
BIOGRAPHY
Erin Wachter joined Centre’s faculty in 2016 as a visiting assistant professor of chemistry and was named an assistant professor of chemistry in 2018.
Wachter’s research interests focus on transition metal complexes with an application in DNA sensing and chemotherapy. Transition metal polypyridyl complexes have many different properties that can be exploited. The ligands that bind to the metal can be easily modified, the complexes absorb visible light, can be luminescent and can bind DNA in different ways. Wachter’s research students are studying the spectroscopic properties of iron (II) and ruthenium (II) polypyridyl complexes as the environment around them changes, specifically when in the presence of DNA.
Before coming to Centre, Wachter earned a B.S. in chemistry from Saint Vincent College and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Kentucky. Her Ph.D. work was completed under Dr. Edith Glazer and focused on the design, synthesis, and physicochemical analysis of ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes for application in phototherapy and nucleic acid sensing.