U. S. NAVAL MISSILE CENTER
POINT MUGU, CALIFORNIA IN REPLY REFER TO:

17 November 1961

Dr. Joshua Lederberg, Chairman
Department of Genetics

Stanford University Medical School
Stanford, California

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

I have heard, via a rumor, that you have been, or are, enter-
taining the idea of establishing an exobiology institute in con-
junction with NASA, and are looking for a proper site,

Point Mugu, California offers a unique site for an exobiology
institute for the following reasons:

1. It has a natural lagoon on which we are now building
a porpoise and, hopefully, marine molecular biology lab-
oratory.

2. it is government property and is part of the Pacific
Missile Range where missile and space vehicles are rou-
tinely launched,

3. A molecular biology laboratory, staffed with bio-
chemists, biologists, and physiologists, all at the
independent investigator level, now exists at Point Mugu.
We have contact with industries (J.P.L., Northrup, Lock-
heed, Ford Aeronutronics, U. ©. at La Jolla, U. C. at
Santa Barbara, Cal-Tech, etc.)

Charlie Metz and Albert Tyler have recently visited our lab-
oratory. I suggest you contact them for their opinions of our
"environment,"

I humbly suggest that you visit our establishment, see the
natural lagoon and accompanying ocean, the missile launch area,
and finally our laboratory. My particular laboratory is always
open to you.

Sincerely yours,

WC Sheds

William C., Gillchriest
Head, Bio~Physical Chemistry
Life Sciences Department

11NO-PMR-5216.33