Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. was born in Montreal, Canada on October 12, 1906. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the McGill University in 1928 and his Doctor of Medicine degree from McGill in 1932. He was married to Gwenith Lande Greenblatt. They had three children – Deborah Greenblatt Neese, Nathaniel Lande, and Edward Greenblatt [deceased 2012].

Greenblatt began his career at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) in Augusta, Georgia in 1935 as a resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology when the institution was known as the University of Georgia’s School of Medicine. The following year he worked with Dr. Edgar R. Pund as an assistant professor and research fellow in pathology. From 1937 to 1939 Greenblatt was an assistant professor of Pathology and Gynecology. He served as professor of experimental medicine from 1939-1945. During World War II Greenblatt was on active duty (1943-1945) as a USPHS Surgeon with the US Coast Guard in the Pacific Fleet.

Upon his return to the Medical College of Georgia at the end of the war, Greenblatt established the country’s first independent department of endocrinology. He was professor and chairman of endocrinology from 1946 until 1972. He was bestowed the honor of professor emeritus of endocrinology from 1972 until his death.

As a prominent endocrinologist at MCG, Greenblatt made significant contributions to medicine including: the description of the pathonomic cell in granuloma inguinale (with E.R. Pund); the first demonstration of oral mycin drugs in the treatment of granuloma inguinale; the discovery of the ovulatory inducing properties of clomiphene citrate; the development of the Swyer-Greenblatt Test of the menses for human biologic activity of progestogens; being the first to suggest and publish on the sequential form of oral contraception in 1961; and many other contributions.

Greenblatt was a prolific author. He published over 500 scientific articles and authored or edited 18 scientific books. He also wrote three literary books, including Search the Scriptures: Modern Medicine and Biblical Personages which was re-printed numerous times.

Among the many honors bestowed upon Greenblatt was the Crawford W. Long Memorial Medal from the Medical Association of Georgia in 1941 for his work on menometrorrhagia; the Israeli Medical Society Gold Medal in 1970; the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur in 1973; the Sociedad de Ginecologia y Obstetricia de Monterrey Gold Medal award of Mexico in 1974; and the Israel Peace Award in 1974.

Greenblatt died on September 27, 1987. The MCG university library was formally named the Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library in 1988.