Professor Jürgen Wahrendorf (23 April 1948–15 March 2024)

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is saddened by the passing of Professor Jürgen Wahrendorf, who died on 15 March 2024 at age 75 years.

Professor Wahrendorf was a pioneer of cancer epidemiology in Germany. He was appointed chair and professor of the epidemiology unit at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1986 and remained in that position until his retirement in 2013. A mathematician by background, he was attracted to cancer epidemiology during his first position in the Unit of Biostatistics at DKFZ and while working at IARC for 6 years in the Unit of Biostatistics and Field Studies (from April 1980 to March 1986) before he returned to DKFZ.

Professor Wahrendorf was a close, long-term collaborator and friend of IARC, most recently in the brain tumour studies conducted in the Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch. His main impact on IARC was by mentoring and supervising several German cancer epidemiologists working at IARC at different stages of their careers.

IARC extends its heartfelt condolences to Professor Wahrendorf’s family during this difficult time.