Dr. med. Maria Arlén Larsen is a medical doctor, researcher, author and entrepreneur from Arctic Norway with a mission to improve public health through science, innovation, and equality. She has more than 20 years of clinical experience in obesity treatment and holds a PhD in fat metabolism and obesity. Today, she serves as Associate Professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and is the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Lifeness, a digital health platform developed to strengthen the treatment of chronic diseases through behavioral science, user-centered technology, and clinical expertise.
She is passionate about developing healthcare solutions that are evidence-based, scalable, and deeply human. Together with partners in municipalities, universities, and health institutions, she has developed clinics and helped implement digital models of care in real-world clinical settings. She has published several peer-reviewed papers and has led national innovation projects supported by public research and health agencies.
Maria is a published author, health columist in several magazines, and is committed to making science understandable and meaningful beyond academia – bridging the gap between research and society.
She is a Fulbright Scholar, board member of the Norwegian Society for Research on Obesity, and a SIKT alumni by invitation of HRH Crown Prince Haakon. Her contributions have been recognized with several national awards, including the prize for dignity and respect in obesity research. In 2025, she was named a Business Elite 40 Under 40 honoree.
