WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Council for Responsible Nutrition, the leading trade association
for the dietary supplement industry, announced that Robert Krueger, Ph.D., professor
of pharmacognosy in Ferris State University's College of Pharmacy, will spend his
sabbatical with CRN from mid-August through mid-December.
Dr. Krueger's expertise in the field of pharmacognosy, the chemistry and biology of natural products often used in making dietary supplements, will allow him to work with the association to further advance the science, education and understanding of herbal, botanical and other natural product supplements.
"We are excited to welcome Dr. Krueger to our staff, even if only for a short time," said Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN. "He brings with him an incredible background and knowledge of natural products that will allow us to add focus to this important segment of the supplement industry. According to the most recent sales estimates from the Nutrition Business Journal, herbs and botanicals account for more than $4.5 billion in revenue, making this category a substantial part of our industry."
During his sabbatical, Dr. Krueger will work with CRN's staff to increase awareness and education about the evolving body of botanical research that supports an appropriate role for plant-based dietary supplements. Dr. Krueger will also speak at The Conference: CRN's Annual Symposium on Dietary Supplements in Scottsdale, Ariz., Oct. 3 through 6 on the topic of enzymes. He will also provide scientific expertise and counsel for CRN member companies, joining CRN's highly regarded scientific team of John Hathcock, Ph.D., Andrew Shao, Ph.D., and consultant Annette Dickinson, Ph.D.
Added Krueger, "I am very pleased to be spending my sabbatical working with a well-respected organization that is known for its strong science-based positions. By working with CRN, I believe I can learn a great deal about the industry and the marketplace, and in turn, I hope that they will use my pharmacognosy expertise to the fullest extent."
Krueger has been a key member of the Ferris faculty for more than 30 years, teaching a variety of courses, such as Advances in Natural Product Research and Herbal and Alternative Therapies, as well as directing the university's herbarium, greenhouse and medicinal plant gardens. He has served as a consultant to the Office of the Attorney General of Michigan, with a focus on dietary supplements and previously spent a sabbatical with the Medical University of South Carolina, developing and implementing continuing education programs in the area of botanical supplements for healthcare professionals.
He continues active research in medicinal plant cell culture and has published continuing education programs as well as original research in journals such as the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association and Planta Medica, also reviewing a number of books, most recently, "Flavonoids: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Applications" for Economic Botany.
Krueger is a member of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, American Chemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Phytochemical Society of North America, the Society for Economic Botany and a full-time member of Sigma Xi, a leading professional research society honoring excellence in scientific achievement. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacy, with an emphasis in Pharmacognosy, from the University of Iowa and earned his B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut.