Samuel Bruce Lehrer, Ph.D.

Samuel Bruce Lehrer, Ph.D., aged 82 years, a distinguished microbiologist and clinical immunology researcher whose work advanced understanding of food and environmental allergens, passed away on September 16, 2025.

Born in New Britain, Connecticut on April 1, 1943, Dr. Lehrer pursued a career dedicated to allergy and immunology research and education. He served for many years at Tulane School of Medicine, as Professor of Medicine in the Section of Clinical Immunology, Allergy & Rheumatology, mentoring trainees and collaborating across disciplines. Dr. Lehrer’s scholarship included influential studies on IgE-mediated responses to seafood allergens and other environmental triggers, contributing to improved diagnosis and risk assessment for patients with food hypersensitivity.

Across his four-decade long career, Dr. Lehrer authored and co-authored over 190 peer-reviewed publications, including work on genetic modification of food allergens and the utility of animal models in predicting human allergenicity. His research is widely cited in the fields of Immunology, Allergy, and Food Science, with over 8,000-plus citations.

Dr. Lehrer was active in professional societies, including the American Academy of Allergy, the American Association of Immunology, and the American Thoracic Society, reflecting his commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and scientific rigor.

Dr. Lehrer is survived by his wife Gila Lehrer, their children Rudy Lehrer, Marc Charles Lehrer, Nicole Lehrer, and their 9 grandchildren: Yishai, Tsuriel, Shmaya, Sholom Dovber, Yosef, Leibel, Lillian, Gabrielle, and Jolie Lehrer. Dr. Lehrer is also survived by his older brother Leon Lehrer and Leon’s wife Jan and their children. He was preceded in death by two children, Marc Barnet Lehrer and Sandra Grace Lehrer.

Samuel Lehrer will be forever remembered by family for his generosity, his sharp humor, an insatiable intellectual curiosity, and above all his compassion and love for his family.

Graveside services will be held on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 1:00 p.m., at Tikvat Shalom Cemetery (in Jefferson Memorial Gardens) St. Rose, Louisiana. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to in Dr. Lehrer’s memory to your preferred charity.