Sustained federal funding
Predictable, inflation-adjusted appropriations for the NIH, NSF, DOE, USDA, and the agencies that make discovery science possible.
Coalition for the
Life Sciences
Science Policy Thought Leadership
The Coalition for the Life Sciences unites scientific organizations behind a single purpose: shaping policies and practices that strengthen cutting-edge, effective, and equitable U.S. life sciences research.
Who we are
A coalition of scientific organizations speaking with one voice for the life sciences.
Our member organizations represent researchers across the full breadth of the life sciences — microbiology, genetics, cell and developmental biology, neuroscience, immunology, plant and environmental biology, ecology, evolution, and computational biology. Individually, each has a constituency. Together, we have a coalition — one that can carry the case for fundamental research into appropriations hearings, agency consultations, and congressional offices.
We bring together leaders across the life-sciences community to engage policymakers on issues affecting scientific research and the federal research enterprise. CLS leverages the expertise, credibility, and relationships of organizational leaders to educate Congress and federal agencies and build support for evidence-based science policy.
Mission and goals
Our mission
To shape and promote policies and practices that foster a cutting-edge, effective, and equitable US life sciences research and training enterprise and to ensure public policy is informed by sound scientific evidence.
Our goals
- Gain perspective from all relevant stakeholder groups (academia, industry, foundations/institutes, government, funders, scientific societies, and publishers) to define best science policies and practices.
- Serve as the “voice of life scientists” to mobilize and respond quickly to issues and matters affecting the life sciences community, establishing and advocating for best policies and practices.
- Develop, support, and attain diverse leadership capacity in life sciences policy and practice.
Policy priorities
What we are working on
Science in policymaking
Ensuring that legislation and regulation affecting research are informed by working scientists and the evidence itself.
The research workforce
Support for graduate students, postdocs, and early-career investigators so that careers in science remain viable.
Open, rigorous research
Policies that protect scientific integrity, data sharing, and the freedom to pursue fundamental questions.
How the work gets done
Capitol Hill briefings
We bring researchers to Washington to explain their science directly to the members and staff who write the budget.
Coalition letters & testimony
We speak with one voice on appropriations and policy, joining societies across the life sciences behind shared positions.
Grass-tops advocacy
We equip scientists with the tools, language, and timing to make the case for research in their own communities.
Member organizations
From our members
- BlueskyOctober 16, 2026
GSAGenetics Society of America
🔗 The DRSC Integrative Ortholog Prediction Tool (DIOPT) provides a centralized portal for identifying inferred orthologs among major model…
Read more - BlueskyOctober 16, 2026
Allen InstituteAllen Institute
Happy #FluorescenceFriday! Our #CellLineOfTheWeek is TRF2 - illuminating telomeres! 🧫✨
Read more - BlueskyOctober 16, 2026
ASCBAmerican Society for Cell Biology
How early do immune cells emerge?
Read more
The coalition
CLS is built from research organizations that pool their advocacy capacity. Membership brings a seat at the table when coalition positions are set, and shared representation in Washington year-round.
Become a member organization“The discoveries that reshape the world rarely begin with an application in mind. They begin with a question, and a country willing to fund it.”