Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences

What Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences does

The Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences is an interdisciplinary academic research center established in summer 2000 at the University of Minnesota. It links 22 member centers across the Twin Cities campus—spanning molecular biology and genomics, environmental and food sciences, medicine and health policy, science and technology policy, and biosecurity and infectious disease—to conduct original research, train students and faculty, and advance public dialogue on the societal implications of biomedicine and the life sciences. Leadership is provided by Chair Susan M. Wolf (JD) and Co-Chair Francis X. Shen (JD, PhD).

Name

Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences

Legal name

Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences

Website

https://consortium.umn.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research and Bioethics Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAGAFAK

Scholarly Society & Association Publishing

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Academic & Scholarly Publishing (Journals, Monographs)

SECONDARYMPAJABAK

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Educational & Academic Publishing (Textbooks, Scholarly, STM)

SECONDARYHLAJACAG

Clinical Research Ethics & Human Subjects Protection Authorities (IRB/REC Oversight)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Health Policy, Regulation & Compliance Authorities

SECONDARYMPAGAGAD

Academic & Scientific Conferences

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Conventions & Conferences (Business Events)

SECONDARYTHAHACAD

Medical, Scientific & Healthcare Congress Organizers

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

Keywords

• Bioethics research
• Health law policy
• Genomics ethics
• Research ethics
• Interdisciplinary scholarship

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: The Consortium competes for and receives grants from federal agencies (NIH, NSF), private foundations (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Greenwall Foundation, MacArthur Foundation Law and Neuroscience Project, Robina LaPPS Research Fund), to support original research on societal implications of biomedicine and life sciences.
2. Intramural Research Awards: Between 2000 and 2020, the Consortium awarded nearly $1.5 million in intramural funding for research projects related to societal implications in health, environment, and life sciences. (Note: this is outflow, not revenue - these are grants given to researchers.)
3. University of Minnesota Institutional Support: The Consortium is one of seven university-wide centers at the University of Minnesota, reporting to the Research & Innovation Office (RIO). Core operations are supported by the university.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Consortium is an interdisciplinary academic research center at the University of Minnesota that conducts original research on the ethical, legal, and societal implications of biomedicine and the life sciences. It links 22 member centers across the university to produce scholarly publications, host conferences and webinars (including Research Ethics Day), maintain the LawSeq Database on U.S. genomics law, distribute a bimonthly newsletter, and administer intramural research grants for faculty and students.

Product overview

The Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences is an interdisciplinary research organization (not a commercial product company) that connects 22 member centers at the University of Minnesota to conduct original research, serve students and faculty, and advance public dialogue on emerging issues at the intersection of science and society. Its core offerings include the LawSeq℠ Database (a searchable genomics law resource), the Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology (scholarly publication), a YouTube video library, the Consortium Update newsletter, annual Research Ethics Day conferences, and an intramural research awards program. The Consortium also coordinates major research initiatives including grants on genomics, bioengineering (ATP-Bio, NetEthics), neuroimaging ethics, and COVID-19 ethics (via member centers).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LawSeq Database A searchable database of U.S. federal and state genomics law, paired with a bibliography of secondary sources, used by researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to navigate translational genomics regulation.
• Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology (MJLST) A multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal based at the University of Minnesota Law School that publishes scholarship on the intersection of law, science, technology, and ethics.
• Consortium YouTube Video Library A public YouTube channel (@UMNconsortium) hosting recordings of Consortium lectures, webinars, and conferences for educational use by faculty, students, and the public.
• Consortium Update Newsletter A bimonthly email newsletter featuring Consortium events, news, grants, and publications, distributed to faculty, students, policymakers, and the public.
• Research Ethics Day Conference An annual interdisciplinary conference convening national experts to examine research ethics challenges including trustworthy science, AI in research, and community-engaged research.
• Consortium Research Awards Program An intramural grant program that funds University of Minnesota graduate/professional students, faculty, departments, and centers for research on societal implications of health, environment, and life sciences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded nearly $1.5 million in intramural research funding to support 20 years of graduate/professional student, faculty, and center research
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• National Science Foundation (NSF) ATP-BiomajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Co-sponsored partner for the Frontier Issues in Organ Transplantation webinar, with NSF ERC for Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems collaborating on events addressing biopreservation ethics.
• Mass General Brigham / Center for Law, Brain & BehaviormajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Francis X. Shen serves as Chief Innovation Officer for CLBB while co-chairing the Consortium, facilitating collaboration between UMN and MGH on neurolaw and neuroethics research.
• Research & Innovation Office (RIO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026University of Minnesota's research office provides institutional oversight and support for the Consortium, which has reported to RIO since 2013.
• Masonic Cancer CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center co-sponsoring Research Ethics Day Conference 2026 and collaborating on cancer research ethics.
• Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026CTSA consortium member co-sponsoring Research Ethics Day Conference 2026 and collaborating on research ethics and clinical translation issues.
• Vanderbilt UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Cooperation with Vanderbilt University on the LawSeq℠ project, bringing together legal and scientific experts to analyze U.S. federal and state law on translational genomics and generate consensus guidance.
• 22 Member Centers (University of Minnesota)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000The Consortium links 22 University of Minnesota centers and programs spanning molecular biology, bioethics, medicine, environment, and technology policy to conduct interdisciplinary research and public dialogue.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience: The MacArthur Research Network funds interdisciplinary scholarship on law and neuroscience. It is both a financial partner of the Consortium and a thematic peer, focused on neuroethics and legal implications of brain science that overlap with the Consortium's neuroscience portfolio.
• American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH): ASBH is the primary professional membership association for bioethics and humanities scholars, hosting annual conferences and publishing in the field. It overlaps with the Consortium's scholarly society and conference functions, though it is broader in disciplinary scope.

Direct peers

• The Hastings Center: The Hastings Center is an independent, nonpartisan bioethics research institute that publishes extensively on ethical, legal, and social implications of health, environment, and life sciences. It is one of the closest organizational analogs to the Consortium on Law and Values, sharing the interdisciplinary research, policy guidance, and scholarly publishing model.
• Center for Law, Brain & Behavior at Mass General Brigham: Mass General's Center for Law, Brain & Behavior is a partner and operational peer, conducting neurolaw and neuroethics research and policy work. Co-Chair Francis X. Shen serves as its Chief Innovation Officer, creating direct institutional overlap with the Consortium's neuroscience portfolio.
• Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics: One of the largest university-based bioethics centers in the U.S., conducting research on genomics, research ethics, and health policy. It competes with the Consortium for NIH grants, publishes in overlapping scholarly venues, and convenes similar national conferences on bioethics and health policy.
• Harvard Center for Bioethics: Harvard Medical School's bioethics center produces original research, policy recommendations, and convenes scholars on emerging ethical issues in biomedicine. It is a primary competitor for federal bioethics funding and policy visibility, with overlapping topics including genomics, AI, and clinical research ethics.
• NYU Division of Medical Ethics: NYU's medical ethics division produces scholarship and policy guidance on research ethics, clinical ethics, and emerging biotechnology. It competes for similar NIH and foundation grants and publishes in overlapping venues such as the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics.
• Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics: Yale's bioethics center conducts interdisciplinary scholarship on ethical issues in medicine, law, and science, including research ethics and genomics. It shares the Consortium's model of bridging law, medicine, and science through research and convening.
• Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics: Stanford's biomedical ethics center conducts research and teaching on ethical issues in clinical care, biomedical research, and health policy. It overlaps directly with the Consortium's genomics, neuroethics, and AI-in-healthcare portfolios.

Broad incumbents

• National Academy of Medicine: The National Academy of Medicine provides authoritative policy guidance on biomedical science, health, and bioethics through committees and consensus studies. Consortium Chair Susan M. Wolf is an elected NAM member, and the organizations overlap in producing national-level policy recommendations on emerging biotechnology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UMNconsortium
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UMNconsortium
• Facebookfacebook.com/ConsortiumUMN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/consortium-on-law-and-values-in-health-environment-the-life-sciences
• Instagraminstagram.com/umnconsortium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences