Lisa Hutchinson obtained a first class honours BSs degree in Biochemistry from University College London, and received her PhD from the Institute of Cancer Research, London, under the supervision of Dr Michael J. Fry, where her research focused on the biochemical analysis of components of the Wg/Wnt signalling pathway in breast cancer.

Lisa then left the bench to pursue her career in publishing, and in 1999 joined Current Science Ltd as Assistant Editor of the journal Breast Cancer Research. She was promoted to the Editor after 1 year. In 2002, she joined Wells Healthcare Limited as Senior Editor working on a number of projects in the fields of hepatology, diabetes, chronic wound care, and drug addiction.

Lisa joined the Nature Reviews department in 2004 and has been the Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology until September 2017.