About
The Scientist Who Writes
I’m Dr. Ashley Payne, a scientist who spends as much time thinking about story as I do about data.
My training is in infectious disease, behavioral science, and public health. I’ve worked on outbreaks, pediatric cancer research, and health equity, and I’ve been published in The Lancet Hematology. I’m also a lifelong film and TV obsessive who reviews, reads, and writes stories of my own.
That mix is why I’m useful in a writers’ room. I can tell you how an outbreak would really unfold, how a clinician would really talk, and where the science can bend for drama without breaking the audience’s trust.
I advise writers and production teams through Payne Sciences.