Associate Professor Atkinson has been involved in the clinical development of the current targeted and immunotherapies in melanoma over the past decade bringing these therapies into clinical practice. She has been involved in advocating for patient access to these therapies for patients in Queensland and Australia from guidelines through to reimbursement policies. These therapies have revolutionised the lives of patients and brought about the longest median overall survival for advanced melanoma. However there still remains significant work to be done in therapy resistant disease and she continues to work with therapies towards overcoming resistance.

In the past 5 years, Associate Professor Atkinson has been an Invited Speaker at 22 national and international meetings including Medical Oncology Group of Australia ASM Immunotherapy Symposium, New Zealand Society for Medical Oncology meeting and the Society for Melanoma Research congress. A/Prof Atkinson has published 82 publications, 31 oral abstracts and 65 posters. Associate Professor Atkinson is actively involved in the research supervision of her basic and advanced trainees, and resident medical officers who demonstrate interest in a project. She has supervised trainees to complete their research projects and supported 6 Australian research poster presentations, and 10 international research poster presentations.

She is passionate and motivated to continue to change practice by bringing clinically important and relevant trials to Queensland and to mentor trainees and junior consultants to continue this tradition.