Jennifer Richer

Jennifer Richer, PhD, is an internationally recognized researcher known for her work focused on steroid hormone receptor action in breast and gynecologic cancers. She has been a proud member of the University of Colorado Anschutz since 1994, when it was the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Since then, she has consistently achieved advancement. Dr. Richer started as a postdoctoral fellow, earned a faculty appointment, gained tenure, and was named Dean of the Graduate School in 2023.

Her passion for uplifting the next generation of biomedical researchers drives all aspects of her work. As Dean, her oversight includes the Graduate School’s Postdoctoral and Career Development Offices, key cornerstones exemplifying the school’s purpose as a centralized unit supporting the holistic experience of research learners at CU Anschutz.

Forming vibrant and collaborative local and global scientific communities has been a pillar of Dr. Richer’s career. As co-leader of the University of Colorado Anschutz Cancer Center Tumor Host Interactions Program for five years, she initiated the Outreach and Engagement-Community Advisors for Research Equity in Science and was principal investigator of the American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant and remains on the CU Anschutz Cancer Center IAB. 

She serves on the executive committee for the CU Anschutz School of Medicine Medical Scientist Training Program. She held multiple leadership positions in the Cancer Biology Graduate Program and remains as training faculty in several graduate programs and T32s. She was a standing member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute Tumor Cell Biology study section and serves on NIH fellowship review panels. She has organized international meetings in the fields of cancer biology and endocrinology.

Dr. Richer continues to lead her active research program while serving as Graduate School Dean in a half-time capacity.