Elizabeth Chloe Romanis

Elizabeth Chloe Romanis is an Associate Professor in Biolaw at Durham University, specializing in the legal and ethical implications of emerging reproductive technologies. Her research critically examines how novel reproductive practices challenge traditional frameworks of legal parenthood, particularly focusing on the disruption of reproductive biosex roles.

Her primary research interests center on biolaw, legal parenthood, and the intersection of reproductive technologies with family law. Romanis investigates how technologies like in vitro gametogenesis (IVG), mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs), uterus transplantation (UTx), and artificial placentas fundamentally alter the biological constraints of human reproduction. Her work demonstrates how these technologies challenge the cis-heteronormative assumptions underpinning current legal frameworks for determining parenthood, particularly regarding the deconstruction of biosex roles, the reimagination of genetic relatedness, and possibilities for disembodied reproduction.

Romanis's recent publications analyze trends in reproductive law, emphasizing how emerging technologies require a fundamental revisiting of legal parenthood frameworks rather than piecemeal reforms. Her scholarship addresses how these technologies impact transgender parenting rights, same-sex family formation, and the legal recognition of non-traditional family structures.

Romanis actively presents her research at major academic conferences including the Socio-Legal Studies Association Conference and the International Society of Family Law World Conference, demonstrating her engagement with the broader scholarly community in her field.