Richard S. Larson, MD, PhD

Media Releases

Get to know Pathologist Dr. Richard S. Larson, who serves patients in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

A nationally recognized pathologist, Dr. Larson is the Executive Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of New Mexico (UNM) Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

He plays a key leadership role in championing excellence across the UNM Health Sciences Center, and is charged with developing and guiding the implementation of HSC strategic plans and programs. He also directly reports to the chancellor, and works with an extensive group of campus colleagues in: promoting campus-wide academic and research initiatives, defining budgetary and development priorities, developing a variety of economic development initiatives, as well as overseeing non-college, affiliated centers; the library; the HSC CIO’s office; and other EVC offices.

As a senior executive, scientist, professor, business leader, and physician, it has been Dr. Larson’s pleasure to build higher education and healthcare for more than two decades. In that time, he has played a key role in UNM’s growth into an institution with a world-class research mission, new educational initiatives, robust community and commercial partnerships, and the region’s largest Health Sciences Center.

During his time at UNM Health Sciences Center, Dr. Larson has also held academic posts including Assistant Professor (1996 – 2002), Associate Professor (2002 – 2006), and Professor of Pathology (2006 – present). He has maintained a consistent record of academic output, including authoring or contributing to 120+ peer-reviewed articles and editing three bioscience texts. Over that period, he has received 60+ extramural research grants.

Among his other positions include Honorary Commander of the Kirtland Air Force Base, United States Air Force; Director of the UNM Clinical and Translational Science Center; Chairman of the Board of TriCore Reference Laboratories; on the Board of Directors of TriCore Reference Laboratories; President of New Mexico Bioscience Authority; and Chairman of the Board of New Mexico Bioscience Authority.

Regarding his educational background, Dr. Larson obtained his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1990. He then went on to perform his residency in clinical pathology and his fellowship in hematopathology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1994 and 1996, respectively. 

Licensed to practice medicine in New Mexico, he is board-certified in anatomic and clinical pathology by the American Board of Pathology (ABPath). The mission of the ABPath is to promote the health of the public and advance the practice and science of pathology by establishing voluntary certification standards and assessing the qualifications of those seeking to practice the specialty of pathology.

Pathology is a branch of medical science that involves the study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of surgically removed organs, tissues, bodily fluids, and in some cases, the whole body. Pathologists are physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and management of diseases by laboratory methods. 

Among his volunteer experience, Dr. Larson and his wife founded Cancer Services of New Mexico, a nonprofit organization that helps more than 1200 New Mexicans annually suffering with cancer, free of charge. Its advisory board includes representatives from private and public oncology groups throughout New Mexico – close to 20 private practice groups/clinics in total.

Recommended Articles

• What Is Prostate Cancer: Get the Facts

  Cancer has become one of the most dangerous infections in the world. Various medical researches have shown that cancer problems have increased drastically over the last few weeks. These infections have posed a big threat to the community since most of them require serious treatment. The treatment is...

• Alternative Treatments for Cholera

  Alternative Treatments for CholeraCholera is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases around the world, occurring mostly in Africa and other areas with a similar climate. The infection is mostly found in areas with extraordinarily high populations and poor sanitation services.Cholera is caused...

• Holistic Treatment for Cholera

  Holistic Treatment for CholeraCholera is an infection that is caused by a bacterium known as Vibrio cholerae. This is a bacterium that is capable of surviving for an extremely long time, even in unpleasant environments. As a result of this factor, the bacteria can spread cholera very fast.Cholera...

• Everything You Need to Know About Biopsy Procedures

  What is a biopsy?A biopsy is a medical procedure, which is mostly used in diagnosing cancer. In this procedure, a small tissue sample is taken from your body for a closer examination under the microscope. A biopsy is usually recommended by your doctor if initial tests in your body suggest an...

• Reasons Why You Need a Biopsy

  OverviewA biopsy is a procedure that involves the removal of a sample tissue in the body to examine it closely under a microscope. The tissue is mainly examined to diagnose a certain disease. Some may use a needle or surgical methods to remove any lumps or suspicious nodules in the body. Some...

• Treatments for Bladder Cancer

  The treatment options or medications for bladder cancer depend largely on the advancement of cancer. The treatment is different for the early stage non-invasive bladder cancer and the more advanced muscle-invasive bladder cancer.During treatment, all hospitals have multidisciplinary teams (MDTs),...