Mary-Liis has been working in food science for over 15 years. Starting her studies in the field of Food Technology and Product Development at TalTech, she defended her doctorate in food science at Aarhus University, Denmark in 2015. In 2016, she completed her postdoc at the University of Vienna, Austria, studying the effects of mycotoxins on the human body and working in the core laboratory of analytical chemistry. After her studies, Mary-Liis started working at the Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies (TFTAK) cultivating various microorganisms such as yeasts, bacteria, and fungi. She has studied different microorganisms from the perspective of the food industry, applying them to the production of dairy, beverage, and plant-based alternatives. Currently, Mary-Liis works at the biotech startup ÄIO, which uses microorganisms to produce unique fats to replace unsustainable palm oil and coconut fat in various meat and dairy alternatives.