Heather Van Epps
Scientific Editor at Life Science Editors
Dr. Van Epps received a Ph.D. in Immunology from UMass Chan Medical School, where she studied T lymphocyte biology and function during viral infection. She continued her immunology research as a postdoctoral fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, after which she embarked on an editorial career that now spans more than two decades. Dr. Van Epps has experience in both basic/translational and clinical research and publishing environments, having served in various editorial roles (including inaugural News Editor and Executive Editor) at The Journal of Experimental Medicine and at the Lancet Group, where she served as Deputy Editor for both The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology and The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology before becoming the founding Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet Rheumatology in 2019. She later served as Executive Editor at PLOS Medicine before transitioning to a freelance career. Dr. Van Epps has always been fascinated by the immune system and the mechanisms of disease, and she is particularly keen to read, edit, and consult on clinically-focused research papers and trials. She joined Life Science Editors in 2025.