Welcome! And thanks for stopping by. I am Heather Lander and I have a PhD in Experimental Pathology with a concentration in viral pathogenesis. I have more than 14 years of hands-on experience working in labs with viruses, with much of that focused on the virus that causes Argentine hemorrhagic fever- Junín. I worked with the virulent strains of Junín in a BSL4 lab. I also helped other researchers in the BSL4 lab working with Rift Valley fever and Ebola viruses. 

          I transitioned from research to research development - helping faculty plan their research to best leverage their preliminary data into successful grant funding proposals - and scientific writing. In short, I am a storyteller. I help other scientists tell their stories and I also tell my own stories - scientific and otherwise. In addition to my published scientific papers, I have contributed scientific articles to online publications such as Global Biodefense and the Conversation (AU and UK). I was also a subject matter expert with the Nigerian Ebola Alert Initiative, providing support for their teams battling Ebola on the ground during the West Africa Ebola epidemic. At that time, I started my infectious disease blog, Pathogen Perspectives, to help get accurate, accessible information about Ebola and other infectious diseases to the public. I have transitioned that blog to a podcast where I hope to reach an even wider audience.

          In my spare time I enjoy reading and writing fiction, helping turn TX blue, and hanging out with my amazing son. I live in Texas but anyone who knows me knows I'd rather be someplace with less humidity, less heat, fewer guns and spiders, and an ocean. But even I can't deny that there are some mighty fine people in Texas *tips hat*. I have a few novels in progress, one of which I am currently querying agents with. It is about a virus researcher who gets caught up in the search for a serial killer. I also write songs, poetry, and short stories. Check out the various links provided on the home page or the menu at the top to learn more about my ongoing projects and interests. And please feel free to contact me. You can find me on Twitter, my handle is @pathogenscribe. I am also on SoundCloud as Heather McLander - My maiden name combined with my married name because there were too many Heather Landers on there. And don't expect much. I'm an amateur. 

​

The Pathogen Perspective Podcast is dedicated to the memory of my mom, Judy McSharry, who passed from COVID-19 on April 13, 2020.