Prof Merike Sisask focuses in her research on the social determinants of mental health and well-being, suicide prevention strategies, and the evaluation of community-based mental health programs. She served as Editor-in-Chief of the 2023 Estonia Human Development Report, “Mental Health and Well-being”. Until a few years ago, Prof Sisask was primarily known as a suicide researcher and expert – but everything changed when she herself became a suicide survivor after her husband took his own life. This personal experience has profoundly deepened and transformed her professional perspective.