Keith A. Hruska, MD

Keith Hruska, MD, HS ’74, professor of pediatrics, medicine and cell biology and director emeritus of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, is a world-renowned nephrologist and researcher in the fields of bone and mineral biology, especially when they complicate chronic kidney disease.

Considered the epitome of the superlative physician-scientist, Hruska is a recognized authority in the biology of phosphorus, calcium, renal osteodystrophy, and vascular calcification. His groundbreaking discoveries have redefined the field of bone mineral disorders in kidney disease, demonstrating that these disorders contribute to the high cardiovascular mortality seen in patients with chronic kidney disease; his work holds direct implications for developing improved therapeutics.

Hruska has published more than 330 papers and chapters, and his work has been cited more than 9,000 times. He has held continuous R01 funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for nearly 40 years and currently holds two such grants.

Hruska taught renal pathophysiology to medical students for 17 years and served as course master of Cell and Molecular Biology of Bone for more than a decade. As a research mentor, he has trained a large number of scientists, many of whom have gone on to individual faculty positions with NIH funding.

In the clinical arena, Hruska was director of the nephrology division at the former Jewish Hospital for 17 years and, after the merger of Barnes Hospital and Jewish Hospital, became director of nephrology at St. Louis Children’s Hospital — a post he held until 2012. He has been a medical director of Mid-American Transplant Services for more than 20 years.

He was elected into the prestigious American Society of Clinical Investigation and the American Association of Physicians and served as president of the American Society of Bone & Mineral Research. Hruska has served on multiple NIH study sections and held editorial responsibilities with many major journals.

Hruska earned his bachelor’s and medical degrees from Creighton University in 1965 and 1969, respectively. He completed residency training at Cornell and at Barnes Hospital and then completed his medical training with a renal fellowship at Washington University. He joined the Washington University faculty in 1974.

The Washington University Medical Center Alumni Association is pleased to present its Resident/Fellow Alumni Achievement Award to Dr. Hruska.