Dr. Maira Caleffi

Member of the High-Level Council

Head of the Breast Centre, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre; Founder of FEMAMA and IMAMA

Dr. Maira Caleffi is a breast surgeon, researcher, and global health leader with recognised national and international expertise in breast cancer care, academic research, public policy development, and health governance. Her career is defined by the integration of clinical excellence, scientific scholarship, institutional leadership, and a strong commitment to social impact.

She holds degrees in both Pharmacy and Medicine, completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and specialised in Breast Surgery at Guy's Hospital in London. She earned her PhD in Medicine from the University of London and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Genetics and Breast Cancer at Vanderbilt University in the United States, consolidating an international background focused on research, high-quality clinical practice, and health system organisation.

Dr. Caleffi currently serves as Head of the Breast Centre at Hospital Moinhos de Vento in Porto Alegre, where she leads multidisciplinary teams dedicated to comprehensive women's care, professional training, and the implementation of evidence-based practices, with a focus on quality of care, patient-centred approaches, and the continuous improvement of clinical outcomes.

Her work in governance and public policy spans both international and national arenas. Internationally, she serves as a Technical Adviser to the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a Board Member of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), contributing to the development of global cancer control strategies, with particular emphasis on breast cancer, health system organisation, and reducing inequities in access to care.

In Brazil, she chairs the Board of Directors of the IGCC — Institute for Cancer Governance and Control — a strategic initiative led by Dr. Caleffi aimed at strengthening governance in oncology, improving care processes, integrating data systems, and supporting strategic decision-making within health systems.

She is the founder of the Brazilian Federation of Philanthropic Institutions Supporting Breast Health (FEMAMA), a national network that brings together organisations focused on public policy advocacy, early diagnosis, and timely treatment of breast cancer, with significant impact on the women's health agenda in Brazil. She is also the founder of the Institute of Breast Health of Rio Grande do Sul (IMAMA), a pioneering organisation dedicated to prevention, education, patient support, and social mobilisation.

Her academic contributions include research, scientific publications, and the training of healthcare professionals, with a focus on breast cancer, genetics, screening, health service organisation, and public health impact evaluation. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and recognitions for her contributions to medicine, public health, and the promotion of equity in cancer care.