Dr. Richard Santen, a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of Virginia, maintains an active medical practice with recognition nationally as an outstanding clinical Endocrinologist
He has held several academic positions including Chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Vice Chair of Medicine at the Penn State School of Medicine and Chair of Medicine at Wayne State University. He recently served as the President of the Endocrine Society and previously initiated and nurtured its International Scholars Program and led the effort to develop its long range financial plan as the Chair of the Finance committee.
His research interests have focused on the development of aromatase inhibitors for treatment of breast cancer, mechanisms relating estrogens to breast cancer, the biology and natural history of endocrine-dependent breast cancer, and the effects of vaginal estrogens on circulating hormone levels. He has been funded consecutively by the National Institutes of Health for nearly four decades and has published over 400 manuscripts and chapters, predominantly related to the role of estrogen in breast cancer development and treatment.
He was the lead author of the Endocrine Society Scientific Statement on Menopausal Hormone therapy and on a review of the Management of Menopausal Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors. For his work in the development of aromatase inhibitors, he received the Susan Komen Foundation, Brinker International Award for breast cancer clinical research; the Clinical Chemistry Distinguished Science Award; the Robert H. Williams Distinguished Leadership Award of the Endocrine Society; and the William L. McGuire Memorial Lectureship Award for breast cancer.
Professional memberships include the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Major current interests are on mentorship, the means to enhance the careers of Next-Generation endocrinologists, and a book to inform the lay public about the history of the discovery of estrogen and controversies surrounding its clinical development.
