Annual Research Ethics Day Conference 2026 - The Future of Research Ethics: Threats & Opportunities

The webinar will be held from 9:00am - 3:00pm Central Time on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
Times listed on the agenda reflect Central Time, U.S.A.

This course is planned and hosted by the by the University of Minnesota's Research & Innovation Office (RIO); Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences; Masonic Cancer Center; and Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). For more information or to register visit the course webpage or email [email protected].

The history of research ethics shows that ensuring the ethical and responsible conduct of research requires investment of time, personnel, and resources. Major shifts under way now raise questions about the future of research ethics — how to ensure needed safeguards while taking advantage of potential opportunities. Speakers will consider the impact of significant changes in federal ethics personnel and research funding, including debate about overhead (“indirect cost”) recovery on grants, which at many institutions supports crucial ethics oversight. This conference will consider how to preserve key safeguards while making improvements.

Join national experts from multiple disciplines and perspectives to consider a wide range of questions: what is the current state of research ethics, how can we strengthen Institutional Review Boards and research oversight, what steps will best support research integrity and trustworthy science, what strategies will advance ethics in community-engaged research, and how should research ethics evolve to manage emerging technologies including artificial intelligence.

The University of Minnesota’s 11th Annual Research Ethics Day Conference will consider how to move forward in a changing landscape and how to adapt while maintaining the crucial elements of research ethics. As a public, research university, we aim to explore these vital issues with our faculty, staff, students, and community, as well as a national audience.

This event is free and open to the public. It's sponsored by the University of Minnesota's Research & Innovation Office (RIO); Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences; Masonic Cancer Center; and Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

This event is part of Research Ethics Week (March 2-6, 2026), during which the University of Minnesota focuses on professional development and best practices to ensure ethics and integrity in research

Follow us on X at @UMNconsortium, and join the conversation using #ResearchEthicsDay2026.

1. Describe significant changes in federal ethics personnel and research funding and their potential impacts on the ethical conduct and use of research.
2. Explain how research oversight such as IRBs can be strengthened to ensure the ethical conduct of research.
3. Identify strategies to advance ethics and trust in community-engaged research.
4. Analyze ethical risks in research on emerging technologies (such as xenotransplants, artificial intelligence, and technologies used in biowarfare) that challenge existing oversight processes.

Registration is free. Register online here.

Note you must participate in the live webinar to be eligible to claim credit. Credit will not be made available for viewing the recording.

Credit Designation Statements

American Medical Association (AMA)
The University of Minnesota, Interprofessional Continuing Education designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education
An application will be submitted to the Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education. Determination of credit eligibility is pending review.

CIP® Council
The CIP Council has reviewed Annual Research Ethics Day Conference 2026 - The Future of Research Ethics: Threats & Opportunities and has determined that the following sessions are eligible for a total of up to 5.0 CIP continuing education credits:

• Research Ethics 2026: Advancing Ethics in a Shifting Landscape

• New Challenges in Research Ethics Oversight: Where Do IRBs Go from Here? What Else Is Needed?

• Ensuring Research Integrity in a Changing Environment: What Standards and Oversight Will Advance Trustworthy Science?

• Advancing Trust and Ethics in Community-Based Research: What Are the Next Steps Needed?

• Evolving Research Ethics to Manage Cutting-Edge Technologies: How Should Ethics Evolve to Address Challenges from AI and Xenotransplants to Biowarfare?

Other Healthcare Professionals
Other healthcare professionals who participate in this CE activity may submit their statement of participation to their appropriate accrediting organizations or state boards for consideration of credit. The participant is responsible for determining whether this activity meets the requirements for acceptable continuing education.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

University of Minnesota Continuing Professional Development adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education and has policies in place to ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in all of its educational activities. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible entities; individuals who fail to complete the disclosure in advance of the course are not eligible to be involved in this course. Specific disclosure information will be shared with learners prior to the start of the course. All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

Member Information

Role in activity

Nature of Relationship(s) / Name of Ineligible Company(s)

Susan M. Wolf, JD
Regents Professor; McKnight Presidential Professor of Law, Medicine & Public Policy; Faegre Baker Daniels Professor of Law; Professor of Medicine; Chair, Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Science
University of Minnesota

Course Director, Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD, MAS
Professor, Epidemiology & Biostatistics Lee Goldman, MD, Endowed Chair in Medicine
UCSF

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Bierer, MD
Brigham and Women's Hospital

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Vence L Bonham Jr., JD
Professor; Founding Director, Center for Bioethics, Social, and Behavioral Research; President and CEO, Diaspora Human Genomics Institute, Meharry Medical College

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Holly Fernandez Lynch, JD, MBe
Associate Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy Associate Faculty Director, MEHP Online Educational Initiatives Associate Professor of Law (secondary) Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Faculty

Speakers Bureau-Lilly (Any division) (Relationship has ended)|Advisor-Chronara

Susan Garfinkle, PhD
onsultant, Research Integrity Partners; former-Associate Vice President for Research Compliance, Ohio State University; former-Director, Division of Investigative Oversight, U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI)

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Melissa Geller, MD

Faculty

Consulting Fee-AstraZeneca (Any division)|Grant or research support-AstraZeneca (Any division)|Consulting Fee-GSK|Grant or research support-Fate Therapeutics|Grant or research support-Outpace|Grant or research support-HCW Biologics|Grant or research support-GOG Partners|Grant or research support-Imumon

Christine Grady, MSN, PhD
Cheif, Bioethics; Head, Section on Human Subjects Research
NIH

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Robert C Hampshire, PhD
Executive Director, Research Development Office, Research & Innovation Office (RIO
University of Minnesota

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Arthur Lupia, PhD
Gerald R. Ford Distinguished University Professor; Vice President for Research & Innovation
University of Michigan

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Mary J Owen, MD
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota Medical School

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Efthimios Parasidis, BA, MBE, JD
Kara J. Trott Endowed Professor in Law, Moritz College of Law; Professor of Public Health; Faculty Affiliate, Center for Bioethics
Ohio State University

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Brendan Parent, JD
Director, Transplant Ethics and Policy Research
NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Faculty

Grant or research support-United Therapeutics|Advisor-Bexorg Inc

Maya Sabatello, LLB, PhD
Associate Professor of Medical Sciences, Center for Precision Medicine & Genomics and Division of Ethics, Department of Medical Humanities & Ethics; Director, Disability Rights & Society Program, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Joanne L Billings, MD, MPH
University of Minnesota

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Grant or research support-Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Kimberly Kirkpatrick, PhD
Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation
University of Minnesota

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Nothing to disclose

Francis Shen, JD, PhD
Professor of Law & McKnight Presidential Fellow, University of Minnesota; Instructor in Psychology, Harvard Medical School
University of Minnesota

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Nothing to disclose

Shashank Priya, PhD
University of Minnesota

Planning Committee Member

Nothing to disclose

Danielle A Rintala, RBP(ABSA)
Risk Intelligence and Compliance Team Director
University of Minnesota

Planning Committee Member

Nothing to disclose

Wednesday, March 4, 2026