Paula Williamson is Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Liverpool, and was Head of the Department of Biostatistics from 2002 until 2018. Her research has focussed on clinical trials, meta-analysis, and health outcome selection. Paula leads the MRC/NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership. She is an NIHR Senior Investigator, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and gave the Bradford Hill Lecture in 2017. Paula co-founded the (Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials) Initiative in 2010, to improve the quality and relevance of health research to decision makers including patients, health professionals, regulators and policymakers.