VETS DEN Presenter: Dr. Margaret Gruen, Behavioral Medicine

Dr. Gruen is an Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in animal behavior, chronic pain, welfare, cognition, and anxiety. She completed her veterinary degree at the University of Illinois before coming to NCSU for an internship and a subsequent residency in veterinary behavior. During this time, Dr. Gruen also completed a Master's in Veterinary Public Health, becoming a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.

After a few years as faculty at NC State, Dr. Gruen pursued a PhD with a focus on understanding the behaviors associated with pain in cats with naturally occurring arthritis. She then spent two years at Duke University, co-directing the Canine Cognition Center, where she furthered her research on cognition and behavior. Dr. Gruen has since returned to NC State as an Associate Professor, where she continues her work on animal behavior and chronic pain.

Her areas of expertise include spontaneous animal disease models, animal behavior, chronic pain, welfare, cognition, and anxiety. She is particularly interested in the impact of chronic pain on animal behavior, as well as the cognitive function of senior and geriatric animals.

Dr. Gruen is committed to advancing veterinary medicine by exploring the complex interactions between animal behavior, chronic pain, and welfare, with a focus on improving the quality of life for companion animals through her research and clinical work.