Press Releases

Atlanta 2009/02/18 -“Jeanne was one of the world’s most respected epidemiologists, researching the causes of cancer, especially obesity and diet. She directed one of the largest and most comprehensive cohort studies in scientific history, the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study. She was a contributor to news stories, appearing on national programs including 60 Minutes. Jeanne brought a formidable intellect and passion for finding answers to cancer though her research. We are shocked and deeply saddened by the senseless loss of this tremendously talented friend and colleague.”

Eugenia E. Calle, Ph.D.
Former Vice President of Epidemiology, Epidemiology and Surveillance Research
American Cancer Society

Biography: Dr. Eugenia Calle joined the Epidemiology Department of the American Cancer Society in 1989, following the move of the National Home Office from New York to Atlanta. Until her retirement as Vice President of Epidemiology in early February, Eugenia (Jeanne) Calle contributed to the Society’s legacy of groundbreaking research on the causes and prevention of cancer. Among her major accomplishments were two landmark studies on the relation of obesity to cancer, important contributions to understanding the risk factors for breast and other cancers in women, and research on hormone-replacement therapy in relation to female cancers. She served as an adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, a member of the National Cancer Institute’s Board of Scientific Counselors, and on the editorial board of several prominent cancer journals. Jeanne received her doctorate in Epidemiology from the Ohio State University in 1982. She worked as an epidemiologist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the area of cancer risk assessment from 1979 to 1984, and at the Centers for Disease Control on the Agent Orange Projects between 1984 and 1989 before joining the American Cancer Society. Throughout her career, she has made many important contributions to understanding cancer risk factors and prevention. Her leadership was also instrumental in sustaining, enhancing, and developing the Society’s Cancer Prevention Study Studies.

She was a native of Ohio and is survived by her mother, sister, and five nieces and nephews.