September 5, 1955

Dr. Roger S, Mitchell
Webb Building

Colorado Medical Center
Denver 20, Colorado

Dear Roger:

Thank you for your kind letter of the lst, which doubtless crossed
my last. As I promised, I have been taking some time to mmmarize what
wole Genetica might play in the medical school, As you will see, the
attached account was written first without special reference to Colorado,
but I have added some remarks of lecal application too.

I was particularly pleased at Dr, Meiklejohn's favorable reaction to
the idea, As I have tried to emphasize, Medical Genetics ought to be able
to stand on its own merits whether or not I go along with it to help or
hinder, Indeed, as the analysis indicates, one might question whether I
would represent the logical next appointment, though this may depend on
who else would be available, I also send a suggestion for a course, This
was designed for consideration at Wisconsin as mich as at Colobado, and
should not be conséddred as a definite proposal, especially in view of Ted
Puck's established work in this direction. However, I would be very much
interasted to learn how much of this material is already represented in
Ted's course, and what the experience has been that might be helpful to
the medical curriculum committee here,

If I may comment on your memorandum, I would say it lays much too much
emphasis on my availability and too little on the themof medical genetics,
Actually, this would not be such a remarkable innovation; at least half ea
dozen, or a dozen schools, already do quite a bit along this line, What would
be fairly unique would be an integrated department (comparable to the one here
in the College of Agriculture) that encompassed not only human but microbial
and other experimental lines of genetic work. Perhaps the enclosures would
help you to put that theme into balance, It then becomes a auestion whether
a formal presentation of a conerete proposal might not be premature at this
time, If you have Meiklejohn's and (I presume, I hope correctly) Ted's support
for this aheme, you perhaps should discuss the matter more 4nformally with
"key people*® from the other departments, It seems to me that a formal proposal
for action by the Faeulty would have to wait until the choice of steff was
more firmly settled, I can assure you, I am devoting a lot of time thinking
about my own possible role at Colorado, or alternatively, who else would do
at least as good, or better, job of it should you ve still interested in fol-
towing up this idea if I withdraw myself,

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg