He has graduated from Dumlupınar University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology. He has a master degree on diatom communities and has a PhD degree on macro – micro element levels in biotic – abiotic components of a lothic freshwater habitat. He has a degree of associate professor on the fields of limnology - hydrology in 2015. Cem Tokatlı, who has a degree of professor in 2021, has many national and international researches on lotic and lentic habitats, water and sediment quality, drinking and groundwater quality, toxic and essential elements, bioaccumulation and biomagnification, geographic information systems, statistical evaluation techniques, bioecological and toxicological indices, diatoms and diatom indices. Prof. Dr. Cem Tokatlı is married and has two children.
As of 2023, he is among the top 2% of the "World's Most Effective Scientists" in the field of "Environmental Sciences" on the basis of "Annual Impact". In addition, according to 2023 YOKSİS and ÜAK data, he is located 59th in the "Science and Engineering" research field, 30th in the "Science and Mathematics" field, 5th in the "Biology" science field, and 1st in the "Limnology", "Hydrobiology" and "Aquatic Toxicology" fields.

Theses:

1. EPİLİTİK DİATOME FLORA OF MURAT STREAM (KÜTAHYA) (Master Thesis; Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Hayri DAYIOĞLU)