Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is an academic and specialty publishing company founded in 1980 by Mary Ann Liebert and headquartered in New Rochelle, New York. The company publishes peer-reviewed journals, books, and trade magazines across biotechnology, biomedical science, medical research, clinical medicine, surgery, nursing, technology, engineering, environmental science, public health, policy, law, regulation, and education. Its editorial identity has been built around identifying specialized or emerging subjects that were not always well served by larger publishing houses. The company is particularly associated with biotechnology and the life sciences. It has been described as an early specialist publisher in genetic engineering, reflecting the importance of that field to its editorial development. Its first publication, the Journal of Interferon Research, appeared in 1981. That same year, the company introduced Genetic Engineering News, a trade publication that became one of its best-known titles and reached a circulation of 50,000 by 2000. The publisher’s portfolio subsequently expanded to include journals addressing specific biomedical conditions, therapeutic approaches, technologies, and areas of public health and policy. Mary Ann Liebert’s publishing model has emphasized focused communities of researchers, clinicians, practitioners, and industry professionals rather than only broad disciplinary markets. Its portfolio has included more than ninety peer-reviewed journals, alongside books and magazines. Examples of notable titles include Human Gene Therapy, AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, and the Journal of Women’s Health and Gender-Based Medicine. The company has also operated publications outside conventional medical and scientific publishing, including Westchester Wag, a magazine concerned with the social life of Westchester County, New York, and Rinkmagazine, a skating publication. The publisher continued to add journals in emerging scientific areas as those fields developed. In February 2018 it launched The CRISPR Journal, a bimonthly publication focused on research, commentary, and debate concerning CRISPR technologies and genome editing. The launch extended Mary Ann Liebert’s historical focus on rapidly developing biotechnology topics into one of the most consequential areas of contemporary genetics. In December 2024, Sage Publishing acquired Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The acquisition placed the company within Sage while preserving the Mary Ann Liebert publishing identity for its journals. Following the transaction, the brand remained associated with specialist scholarly communication in biotechnology, medicine, health, and related sciences. Its principal role is therefore that of a focused academic publishing house and journal portfolio within a larger international scholarly publishing group.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. was established in 1980 by its founder and president, Mary Ann Liebert, in New Rochelle, New York. From the beginning, the company pursued a niche-oriented publishing strategy. Rather than relying primarily on conventional market research or competing directly with large generalist publishers, it sought specialized subjects with strong professional or scientific communities and limited existing coverage. The company’s first publication was the Journal of Interferon Research, launched in 1981. Interferon research was an important area of biomedical investigation, and the journal established the company’s early connection with specialized life-science publishing. Also in 1981, Mary Ann Liebert launched Genetic Engineering News. The publication became a significant trade title for the developing genetic-engineering industry and scientific community. By 2000, it had reached a circulation of 50,000. The publisher’s combined circulation across its titles was reported at 250,000 that year. By 2000, the company’s leading publications by revenue included Genetic Engineering News, Westchester Wag, the Journal of Women’s Health and Gender-Based Medicine, Human Gene Therapy, and AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. This mix illustrates the breadth of its approach: the portfolio combined biotechnology and medical research with women’s health, infectious disease, and a regional consumer publication. The company was also recognized for establishing an early specialty in genetic engineering, a field that later expanded into genomics, gene therapy, genome editing, and related biotechnologies. Over time, Mary Ann Liebert developed a large portfolio of peer-reviewed journals, reportedly numbering more than ninety, together with books and trade magazines. Its subject coverage extended beyond biotechnology into clinical medicine, surgery, nursing, public health, environmental science, technology, engineering, policy, law, regulation, and education. The portfolio continued to include publications aimed at highly specific research and professional audiences rather than only broad academic disciplines. In February 2018, the company launched The CRISPR Journal. The bimonthly journal was devoted to advances and commentary concerning CRISPR and genome editing, placing the publisher at the center of a rapidly developing scientific and ethical field. The title was consistent with the company’s historical practice of building publications around emerging areas before they became fully established mainstream categories. In December 2024, Sage Publishing acquired Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The transaction changed the company’s ownership and made it part of Sage’s publishing group, while the journals were to continue publishing under the Mary Ann Liebert name. The brand therefore remained an identifiable specialist imprint and publishing identity within a larger scholarly communications organization. Its history is defined by entrepreneurial niche selection, a strong focus on biomedical and biotechnology subjects, and the cultivation of journals and periodicals for specialized research and professional communities.

• 2024

  Acquired by Sage Publishing

  [1]Mary Ann Lieberten.wikipedia.org

  Sage Publishing acquired the company, with its journals continuing under the Mary Ann Liebert name.

• 2018

  The CRISPR Journal launched

  [1]Mary Ann Lieberten.wikipedia.org

  Mary Ann Liebert introduced a bimonthly journal dedicated to CRISPR research and genome editing.

• 2000

  Portfolio reaches substantial circulation

  [1]Mary Ann Lieberten.wikipedia.org

  Genetic Engineering News was reported to have a circulation of 50,000, while the combined circulation of the company’s titles reached 250,000.

• 1981

  First journal published

  [1]Mary Ann Lieberten.wikipedia.org

  The Journal of Interferon Research became the company’s first publication.

• 1981

  Genetic Engineering News launched

  [1]Mary Ann Lieberten.wikipedia.org

  The company introduced Genetic Engineering News, a trade publication focused on the developing genetic-engineering field.

• 1980

  Company founded

  [1]Mary Ann Lieberten.wikipedia.org

  Mary Ann Liebert established the publishing company in New Rochelle, New York.

A specialist scholarly publisher that develops focused journals and periodicals for emerging, technical, and interdisciplinary subjects, especially biotechnology, biomedical science, medicine, and life sciences.

• Academic publishing · 1981

  Peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals

  The company’s core offering is a portfolio of specialized peer-reviewed journals serving researchers, clinicians, and other professional audiences. Subjects span biotechnology, biomedical science, gene therapy, infectious disease, women’s health, clinical medicine, surgery, nursing, public health, environmental science, technology, engineering, law, regulation, and education. The portfolio has included more than ninety journals and is characterized by focused coverage of technically defined or interdisciplinary fields.

• Trade publication · 1981

  Genetic Engineering News

  Genetic Engineering News was launched in 1981 as a trade publication serving the emerging genetic-engineering sector. It became one of Mary Ann Liebert’s best-known titles and was reported to have reached a circulation of 50,000 by 2000. The publication reflects the company’s early specialization in biotechnology and its practice of serving scientific and industry communities through focused editorial products.

• Scientific journal · 2018

  The CRISPR Journal

  The CRISPR Journal is a bimonthly publication devoted to research advances, analysis, and commentary concerning CRISPR technologies and genome editing. Its launch extended Mary Ann Liebert’s biotechnology publishing heritage into a rapidly evolving scientific area with implications for genetics, medicine, agriculture, regulation, and ethics.

• Scientific journal

  Human Gene Therapy

  Human Gene Therapy is a specialist publication associated with the company’s focus on genetic medicine and biotechnology. It addresses developments in the use of genetic material and gene-based approaches in medicine, placing it within Mary Ann Liebert’s broader portfolio of technically focused biomedical journals.

• Medical journal

  AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses

  AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses is a medical and biomedical title covering research related to AIDS, HIV, and retroviruses. It represents the company’s role in publishing specialized disease-focused research for scientific and clinical audiences.

• Medical journal

  Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine

  This journal focuses on women’s health and gender-based approaches to medicine. It was among the company’s leading publications by revenue in 2000 and illustrates its interest in specialized clinical and public-health fields that cut across conventional medical disciplines.

• Regional magazine

  Westchester Wag

  Westchester Wag is a publication covering the social scene of Westchester County, New York. Its inclusion in the portfolio demonstrates that Mary Ann Liebert’s publishing activities have not been limited exclusively to academic and biomedical subjects.

• Sports and lifestyle magazine

  Rinkmagazine

  Rinkmagazine is a skating-oriented periodical associated with the company’s broader magazine publishing activities. Public reference material identifies it as an example of a title outside the publisher’s principal medical and scientific focus.

• 2024

  Acquisition by Sage PublishingM&A

  Background

  Mary Ann Liebert operated as a specialist academic publisher with a portfolio spanning biotechnology, medicine, life sciences, and related fields.

  Action taken

  Sage Publishing acquired Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. in December 2024.

  Aftermath

  The journals were expected to continue under the Mary Ann Liebert name, preserving the brand as a publishing identity within Sage.

  Source

• 2018

  Enter the CRISPR and genome-editing journal marketProduct launch

  Background

  CRISPR and genome editing were developing rapidly as major areas of biological research and potential medical application. Mary Ann Liebert had an established history of publishing biotechnology and genetic-engineering material.

  Action taken

  The company launched The CRISPR Journal as a bimonthly publication focused on research developments and commentary in the field.

  Aftermath

  The launch broadened the company’s biotechnology portfolio into a prominent emerging area. Specific circulation, revenue, or readership results were not provided.

  Source

1. 1Mary Ann Lieberten.wikipedia.org
2. 2Mary Ann Liebert official websiteliebertpub.com