Jeffrey R Gruen

Jeffrey R. Gruen is Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology) and of Genetics at Yale School of Medicine, and a faculty member in the Investigative Medicine Program at Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. His research is affiliated with multiple centers including the Yale Center for Genomic Health, Wu Tsai Institute, and the Yale Child Health Research Center.

• Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology), Yale School of Medicine
• Professor of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine
• Member, Investigative Medicine Program, Yale Graduate School
• Principal Investigator, Gruen Lab

Education:

• MD, Tulane University, 1981
• BS in Chemistry, Tulane University, 1977
• Residency in Pediatrics, Yale-New Haven Hospital, 1984
• Internship in Pediatrics, Yale-New Haven Hospital, 1982

Dr. Gruen's research centers on the genetic and molecular basis of dyslexia and language impairments. His lab pioneered the mapping of the DYX2 locus on chromosome 6 and discovered the DCDC2 gene, a major contributor to reading disability. His team identified READ1, a transcriptional control element that modulates risk for dyslexia, and demonstrated synergistic interactions between genetic variants in DCDC2 and KIAA0319. His work integrates human genetics, molecular biology, and neuroimaging to understand the biological mechanisms underlying learning disabilities. He leads the Yale Genes, Reading and Dyslexia (GRaD) Study and the New Haven Lexinome Project, aiming to enable early diagnosis and personalized educational interventions.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend in integrating genetic data with cognitive, behavioral, and educational assessments. Key themes include genome-wide association studies of dyslexia, gene-environment interactions (particularly involving phonological awareness and home environment), phenotype harmonization across cohorts, and the application of genetic findings to educational policy and practice. Imaging genetics and the study of comorbid conditions like Sluggish Cognitive Tempo are also prominent.

Scientific Awards:

• Innovative Research Award, Kavli Institute, 2022

Dr. Gruen has served as Principal Investigator on numerous NIH-funded studies, including the GRaD Study, the Pediatric Imaging NeuroGenetics (PING) Study at Yale, and the New Haven Lexinome Project. He mentors a broad network of collaborators across institutions such as the University of Colorado, University of Bristol, and Johns Hopkins. His lab trains researchers in human genetics, molecular techniques, and cognitive phenotyping.

He leads the Gruen Lab, which focuses on human genetic studies, molecular genetic mechanisms, imaging genetics, and longitudinal intervention studies. The lab collaborates extensively with national and international research centers and utilizes advanced techniques including GWAS, sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and MRI-based phenotyping.