Associate Professor Maarit Laaksonen is a biostatistician with over 20 years of international research experience in epidemiology and public health. Her work focuses on developing innovative measures of disease burden and applying them to health data to inform strategies for reducing the impact of chronic diseases. She holds a prestigious Cancer Institute NSW Career Development Fellowship and leads research to identify the determinants of future cancer burden to improve prevention, early detection, and outcomes. Her research integrates advanced statistical modelling with population health data to support evidence-based decision-making in public health. Through her leadership, she contributes to shaping cancer control strategies and advancing the understanding of disease dynamics. Associate Professor Laaksonen’s work is recognised for its methodological rigour and relevance to health policy, making her a key contributor to the field of biostatistics and public health research.