Dr Gruber's research expertise and interests are diverse and fit under the broad theme of how individuals respond to, and interact with, their physical, climatic, and social environments, and consequences for survival, fitness, and trait evolution. Dr Gruber conducts research in areas ranging from animal behaviour, sociality and cognition to invasion ecology and the effects of anthropogenic environmental change on life history traits, gene expression, and fitness in wild animal populations. She studies a broad range of taxa to suit her research questions from crabs and bees to lizards and amphibians. Dr Gruber enjoys combining techniques such as field surveys and observations, field and lab-based experiments, microCT brain scanning, and genotyping and genomics for gene expression analyses in her research.

Dr Gruber's current research includes examining the effects of anthropogenic disturbance and environmental contaminants on behaviour and cognition in amphibians, birds and invertebrates; investigating the benefits, maintenance and evolution of social behaviour, long-term social bonds and cooperation; testing the efficacy of ‘toads on roads’ programs to mitigate the effects of traffic on UK toad populations; and using a combination of population modelling, field-based behavioural trials and genetics to understand key factors threatening reptile populations in the UK and their conservation.