Heinz Freisling is a Scientist and Team leader in the Nutrition and Metabolism Branch of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC‑WHO), where he leads the Nutrition, Cancer and Multimorbidity Team. His research focuses on the role of diet, physical activity, obesity, and cardiometabolic health in the etiology of cancer and other chronic diseases. He has established expertise in dietary assessment, nutritional epidemiology, and the study of dietary patterns—including ultra‑processed foods—and their influence on cancer and cardiometabolic outcomes.

His work increasingly integrates blood proteomics to identify molecular signatures of modifiable exposures and their potential causal links to disease, aiming to advance mechanistic understanding and intervention targets. He has led or co‑led more than ten international collaborations and has been invited to high‑level policy and scientific dialogues, including the 2024 CIHR Best Brains Exchange on ultra‑processed foods.

A key area of his research examines how lifestyle factors shape the development of multimorbidity, particularly across cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, to inform precision prevention strategies. His publications—over 240 peer‑reviewed papers, including in JAMA Internal Medicine, Nature Communications, Science Advances, Lancet Healthy Longevity, and BMJ Medicine—have had broad scientific and policy impact, accumulating more than 480 policy citations worldwide and extensive global media coverage.