Dr Laura O’Donovan is an academic lawyer who researches issues healthcare law and bioethics. She is currently a Research Associate on the Wellcome funded project, The Future of Human Reproduction. She has a particular interest in the following areas: (i) reproduction and the body (novel assisted reproductive technologies, pregnancy, and regulation of the family); (ii) organ donation (systems of opt-out donation and organ and tissue exclusions); and (iii) health inequalities with a particular focus on the gender health gap.

Her PhD explored the legal and ethical challenges posed by uterus transplantation focusing on questions of risk in experimental medical procedures, reproductive autonomy, child welfare, and access to treatment. While undertaking her doctoral research, Dr O’Donovan also completed a placement at the Cabinet Office (CO) where she worked as a Policy Advisor in the Open Innovation Team. During this time, she worked on projects for BEIS (as it then was), MoJ and CO seeking to draw on academic research and expertise to generate analysis and ideas for policy. In addition to her published academic research, Dr O’Donovan also has experience collaborating with external stakeholders to produce outputs. She is currently working with clinicians to develop public materials on the ethics of uterus transplantation. She has also submitted evidence to a number of consultations held by the UK, Scottish and Northern Irish governments on opt-out organ donation.