Richard D. Klausner is an American scientist who served as the 11th director of the National Cancer Institute of the United States.

He began studying physics at Yale University, but changed his focus to biology, with the plan of becoming a doctor in a rural area.

At age 30, Klausner was appointed to the chief of the cell biology and metabolism branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

[1] He served as the director of the National Cancer Institute from 1995 to 2001, where he managed a staff of 5,000 employees and a budget of $4.5 billion.

[15] He also has published research on the genetics of Von Hippel–Lindau disease, a condition which predisposes a person to developing cancer.