The University of New South Wales professor died on Saturday, aged 70, after being diagnosed with brain cancer in January 2022.
Prof McLaws was a trusted voice frequently consulted by journalists for her expertise during the pandemic and looked to by the public for insights.
UNSW, where she spent 36 years working in the medicine and health faculty, on Monday reflected on her hugely influential role spearheading infection control improvements and helping to save innumerable lives.
"We mourn the passing of a UNSW academic who was locally grown and became a superstar while remaining tenacious, humble, hardworking and caring," chancellor David Gonski said.
"We are grateful for all she did for UNSW and Australia, she will not be forgotten."
Health Minister Mark Butler said Prof McLaws was an incredibly calm, articulate voice in what was a very frightening time for Australians.
NSW Premier Chris Minns remembered Prof McLaws as a truly great Australian.
"From leading the charge to eliminate HIV, contain pandemics and helping stop the spread of swine flu," the premier wrote.
"There are very few health challenges our country faced in Professor McLaws' lifetime, that she did not tackle head on."
Deakin University epidemiology chair Catherine Bennett said Prof McLaws left a rich legacy from decades of work.
Prof McLaws graduated with a PhD in epidemiology in 1992 after earlier undertaking a bachelor of science and a postgraduate public health degree.
She wrote 180 scientific papers, made significant contributions including through her work with the World Health Organisation and supported many PhD candidates over the years.
"There'll be a lot of people that are very shaped and inspired by Mary-Louise and that's fantastic because that contributes to the next generation of researchers," Prof Bennett told AAP.
The epidemiologist was warm, caring and had a wonderful sense of humour, Prof Bennett said.
She was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2022 Queen's Birthday honours.
The last time Prof Bennett spent precious time with Prof McLaws was in March at a regional Rotary conference, where she was presented with yet another award.
The news of Prof McLaws' diagnosis was met with an outpouring of public sympathy and gratitude.
The epidemiologist spoke about how much that meant to her, Prof Bennett said.
"She was able to have that recognition and to feel that personal reward for everything she put in," she said.
"It is sad for family, friends and colleagues, but I'm just grateful that we could celebrate her career with her while she was still with us."
Outgoing Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton, who led the state's public health response to the pandemic, said he - like the public - felt reassured listening to Prof McLaws.
Her gentleness and warmth set her apart, as did her unwillingness to shy away from nuance, Prof Sutton said.
"We knew that if she had something to say really stridently, or with some force and vigour, that there was a reason behind it," Prof Sutton told ABC Radio Melbourne.
"She played a huge role in making us feel that we were being stewarded through that far too long a period of crisis in a way that we knew we'd get to the other side."
Infectious diseases physician and Australian National University associate professor Sanjaya Senanayake thanked his dear friend Prof McLaws for guiding Australians through such a torrid time.
VicHealth chief executive Sandro Demaio said Prof McLaws was a generous and kind leader who helped countless Australians through the darkest times of the pandemic, while University of South Australia biostatistics professor Adrian Esterman described Prof McLaws as a voice of reason.
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