Brandeis University Press releases updated edition of Crab Wars

Because every drug certified by the FDA must be tested using the horseshoe crab derivative known as Limulus lysate, a multimillion dollar industry has emerged involving the license to “bleed” horseshoe crabs and the rights to their breeding grounds. William Sargent presents a thoroughly accessible insider’s guide to the discovery of the lysate test, the exploitation of the horseshoe crab at the hands of multinational pharmaceutical conglomerates, local fishing interests, and the legal and governmental wrangling over the creatures’ ultimate fate. In the end, the story of the horseshoe crab is a sobering reflection on the unintended consequences of scientific progress and the danger of self-regulated industries controlling a limited natural resource. This new edition brings the story up to date as companies race to manufacture alternatives to the horseshoe crab blood, which is now essential for testing vaccines such as those being developed to counter Covid 19. However, horseshoe crab populations are still dwindling, having a profound effect not only on the crabs themselves but on the ecosystems which depend on them.

Brandeis University Press to exclusively manage the University Press of New England

Brandeis University has acquired and is now the sole owner of all titles and copyrights of the University Press of New England, under a deal finalized on Jan. 1 with Dartmouth College. Going forward, Brandeis University Press will oversee the UPNE list, excluding Dartmouth College Press titles.

“Brandeis University Press is pleased to begin representing these titles and working with their authors going forward. The titles we acquired will dovetail well with BUP’s current titles and our expertise. I am grateful to Dartmouth College for their excellent past stewardship and for working so cooperatively with us as we worked on this acquisition. UPNE has a wonderful deep backlist and we are thankful to the UPNE leadership, editors, and staff who created this excellent list of books. We hope to keep many of these titles in print and look forward to actively promoting and reissuing them,” —Sue Ramin, Director

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