PLOS is a tax-exempt, 501(c)3, nonprofit corporation. PLOS' overall revenues and funding information are listed in the PLOS Annual Update.
The PLOS Medicine editors are paid a fixed salary (in particular, their salary is not linked to the number of papers published in the journal). Editors are required to declare all relevant competing interests and do not participate in the review of any paper for which they have a competing interest.
The competing interests statements in the boxes below were updated in September 2023, and relate to activities over the previous 12 months. However, relevant competing interests from previous years will also be taken into account when deciding whether it is appropriate for an editor to handle a paper.
 Heather Van Epps
Executive Editor
 orcid.org/0000-0002-8052-8280
Heather joined PLOS Medicine as Executive Editor in 2023, bringing 20 years of editorial experience in basic and translational immunology, rheumatology, and clinical medicine, and a strong commitment to promoting equitable healthcare and addressing unmet patient need globally. Heather joined PLOS Medicine from the Lancet group, where she was the founding Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet Rheumatology, having previously served as Deputy Editor for The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology and The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. Before that, Heather was a long-standing Editor at the Journal of Experimental Medicine. She earned her PhD in immunology from the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she studied innate immunity to opportunistic fungal pathogens. Heather is an avid writer and science communicator with special interests in precision medicine, rheumatology, metabolic diseases, and the molecular mechanisms underlying chronic disease. |
Competing Interests
Monetary or in kind compensation for self or household member from an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially or in any other way from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
- Reimbursement for attending a conference or symposium. No.
- Accommodation and travel. No.
- Fees for speaking. No.
- Fees for organizing education. No.
- Funds for research or for a member of staff. No.
- Fees for consulting. No.
Employment of self or household member by an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
No.
Stocks or shares
I contribute to a workplace pension scheme. I do not determine or monitor the individual companies included in the scheme.
Other competing interests
No.
 Louise Gaynor-Brook
Senior Editor
orcid.org/0000-0002-6617-3110
Louise joined PLOS Medicine as an Associate Editor in July 2019, and brings experience in clinical medicine, basic science research and health policy to her role as a Senior Editor. She received her undergraduate degree in Medicine from King’s College London in 2010, having taken a year out to study for an intercalated BSc in Maternal and Fetal Health. Louise continued her academic interest in obstetrics to study the immunogenetic regulation of Natural Killer cell function in pregnancy, and received a PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2017. Following her graduate degree, Louise moved into health policy at the PHG Foundation, where she conducted in-depth analyses of biomedical technologies and international policies relating to preventive and personalised healthcare. Louise handles manuscripts in all areas within the scope of PLOS Medicine, but her key interests are in maternal and child health, and translational medicine. |
Competing Interests
Monetary or in kind compensation for self or household member from an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially or in any other way from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
- Reimbursement for attending a conference or symposium. No.
- Accommodation and travel.- European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS) travel grant (2015).
- Fees for speaking. No.
- Fees for organizing education. No.
- Funds for research or for a member of staff. No.
- Fees for consulting. No.
Employment of self or household member by an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
No.
Stocks or shares
I have contributed to a workplace pension scheme. I do not determine or keep track of the individual companies in which they invest.
Other competing interests
No.
 Philippa Dodd
Associate Editor
orcid.org/0000-0003-1580-9390
Pippa joined PLOS Medicine in 2022 as Associate Editor. She is a Consultant Physician with dual accreditation in Renal Medicine and Acute General Medicine. She received her undergraduate medical degree from St. Bartholomew’s and The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London in 2005 and continued her post-graduate medical training in London. In 2010, she secured a specialist training number in Renal Medicine, developing a sub-specialist interest in renal transplantation and its complications. In 2016, Pippa was awarded a Kidney Research UK clinical research training fellowship, successfully completing her PhD in Transplantation Immunology at King's College London where she investigated mechanisms of chronic allograft rejection affecting renal transplants. Pippa was awarded Certificate of Completion of specialist medical training in 2021. Her interests include multimorbidity, chronic non-communicable diseases, immunology, infectious diseases, mental health and health inequalities. |
Competing Interests
Monetary or in kind compensation for self or household member from an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially or in any other way from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
- Reimbursement for attending a conference or symposium. No.
- Accommodation and travel. No.
- Fees for speaking. No.
- Fees for organizing education. No.
- Funds for research or for a member of staff. No.
- Fees for consulting. No.
Employment of self or household member by an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
No.
Stocks or shares
No.
Other competing interests
No.
 Katrien G. Janin
Associate Editor
orcid.org/0000-0002-0463-2940
Katrien is an evolutionary biologist with a background in archaeology, anatomy, and skeletal pathologies. Her doctoral research focused on the impact of modularity and integration in shaping pelvic girdle evolution. During her time at the University of Cambridge, she became a part of the editorial team at the Archaeological Review from Cambridge (ARC) journal. She loved her editorial role so much that she decided to pursue an editorial career. Her passion for accessibility, research integrity, and equity in scientific communication led her to join PLOS in February 2022. Before joining PLOS Medicine in March 2023, Katrien was an editor at PLOS ONE and PLOS Global Public Health. |
Competing Interests
Monetary or in kind compensation for self or household member from an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially or in any other way from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
- Reimbursement for attending a conference or symposium. No.
- Accommodation and travel. No.
- Fees for speaking. No.
- Fees for organizing education. No.
- Funds for research or for a member of staff. No.
- Fees for consulting. No.
Employment of self or household member by an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
No.
Stocks or shares
No.
Other competing interests
No.
 Alexandra Schaefer
Associate Editor
orcid.org/0000-0002-5932-9607
Alex studied Biology (BSc) in Münster, Germany, followed by a Master's degree in Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Bielefeld, Germany. She returned to Münster for her PhD at the Institute of Musculoskeletal Medicine (WWU Münster), where she studied the functional interaction of integrin and chemokine signaling in the regulation of cartilage homeostasis. During her time as a PhD student, Alex was introduced to peer-review training and developed a keen interest in scientific communication and publication, which led her to join the Public Health and Medicine team at PLOS ONE as an Editor in October 2022. Alex has thrived in her role as an editor and is very excited to be working in the ever-evolving world of scientific communication as an Associate Editor for PLOS Medicine. |
Competing Interests
Monetary or in kind compensation for self or household member from an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially or in any other way from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
- Reimbursement for attending a conference or symposium. No.
- Accommodation and travel. No.
- Fees for speaking. No.
- Fees for organizing education. No.
- Funds for research or for a member of staff. No.
- Fees for consulting. No.
Employment of self or household member by an organization that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in PLOS Medicine
No.
Stocks or shares
No.
Other competing interests
No.