Dr. Richard Legro's primary interests as a clinical and translational researcher have been in the field of reproductive endocrinology and human infertility. He has a long-standing interest in all aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common endocrinopathy in women. His studies have focused on the diagnosis, treatment and genetic/environmental causes of PCOS, as well as on improving infertility diagnosis and treatment. He has worked with multiple clinical trial/research groups to develop novel and important investigator-initiated, multi-center trials to answer clinical questions about the role of lifestyle modification, medical agents and surgery to improve human reproductive function and treat infertility.

Through these studies, Dr. Legro has pioneered the tracking of outcomes in mothers from preconception through pregnancy to the postpartum period, and infants from birth onward. He has been the principal investigator on many National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded grants, including a lead investigator of the Reproductive Medicine Network for 20 years, and has been continuously funded by the NIH for 25 years.

Dr. Richard Legro participates in the training of medical students, residents and fellows in obstetrics and gynecology and is a member of Penn State's graduate faculty. He has mentored multiple medical students in original research projects in women’s health and has had an NIH K24 mentoring grant to support this activity.

Dr. Richard Legro's clinical interests overlap with his research interests:menstrual disorders in women, with an emphasis on polycystic ovary syndrome as well as human infertility.

Member, National Academy of Medicine, 2019

Fellow ad eundem, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, United Kingdom, 2017

Fellow, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG), 1996

Subspecialty-certified in reproductive endocrinology, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1996 (recertified annually)