Birte holds an MA and PhD in English and classics and a diploma in translation. She has worked in different editorial roles for various British and European private sector publishing companies, as well as the NHS, since she moved to London in the early 1990s. She joined the BMJ as a technical editor in 2002; she has been in her role as deputy editor, bmj.com, since 2005 and has been obituaries editor since 2012.

Competing Interests

Have you in the past five years accepted the following from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in the BMJ?
No

Reimbursement for attending a symposium?
No

A fee for speaking?
No

A fee for organising education?
No

Funds for research?
No

Funds for a member of staff?
No

Fees for consulting?
No

Have you in the past five years been employed by any organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in the BMJ?
No

Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation?
I am a member of the BMA pension fund.

Do you have any other competing financial interests?
No

I have the following competing interests
I do occasional translation work for individuals and organisations that may receive funding from the food and pharmaceutical industries.