Bruce K. Krueger

Bruce K. Krueger serves as Professor of Pharmacology & Physiology with a secondary appointment in Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He holds the administrative role of Research Ombudsperson at UMB and maintains an active laboratory funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH).

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University (1975)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pharmacology at Yale University (1975-76)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiology at Washington University School of Medicine (1976-79)

Dr. Krueger's research centers on cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain development underlying autism and neurodevelopmental disorders. His laboratory investigates how prenatal environmental exposures like valproic acid (VPA) interact with genetic predispositions to cause autistic behaviors, utilizing transcriptomic and epigenetic approaches. Current work focuses on gene-environment interactions in Down syndrome, leveraging RNAseq, snRNAseq, and recombinant DNA technology to map developmental disruptions in neurogenesis, axon growth, and synaptogenesis.

His publication record demonstrates consistent focus on autism pathogenesis, with recent work analyzing VPA-induced transcriptome alterations and BDNF dysregulation. Key methodologies include quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization, confocal microscopy, and behavioral assays in murine models.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship (1979)
• Guggenheim Fellowship (1991)
• Fogarty International Fellowship (1991)

Dr. Krueger has mentored five doctoral students to completion, with advisees now holding prominent positions at NIH, Children's National Medical Center, and EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute. His laboratory actively recruits GPILS graduate students in Neuroscience and Molecular Medicine programs, emphasizing translational research connecting environmental toxicology to neurodevelopmental outcomes.