Octeber 29, 1953

Br. David Perkins
Department of Biolosy
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Dear Dave:

At my own behest the Genetics Study Section of the National Institutes of
Health has decided to hold Its next meeting on the Stanford campus. This will
be over the weekend of January 2425, 1959. The Study Section enjoys the
opportunity of meeting at various points throughout the country from time to
time as a means of making closer contact with the geneticists whose work it
tries to help support. in addition the prospect of meeting in California
rather than Washington in mid-winter was nct unettractive. | might add chat
this timing also proves to be very convenient for me in relation to my plans
for moving; at present we are thinking of moving officially en the Ist of
February and in fact possibly some few days before then.

f'm very happy chat the Study Section went along with this move as I am
anxious that the other members of the Section get a good first hand opportunity
to see the way this aspect of blology is going to develop on the Stanford campus.
Quite true, the visit will be a little early as far as our own program is
soncerned.

In connection with the visit {f'd like to ask you just one small favor.
Probably most of the members of the Section will arrive on campus the evening
of January 22nd or some time on the day of the 23rd. We certainly would not
like anything like a formal inspection tour but 1 have been asked to veri fy
which of tha people in whom the Section might be interested would be likely to
be on campus on Friday the 2th to allow for informal visits by individual
members or groups of members of the Study Section. If any of our colleagues
find that certain times of the day are likely to be most convenient for such
visits | would appreciate knowing that too.

The people who come most directly to mind for this Inquiry would be Charlie
and yourself, of course, and the people working with you; Cliff Grobstein and
Victor Twitty, and whomever else you might think appropriate in the Biology
Department. ! would also add Danforth and Center in Anatomy and Geldstein er
Aranew in Pharmacology. Who else would yeu think of?
{ think It might also be appropriate if you could call Henry Kaplan at Radio-
legy in San Francisco to ask him for his own suggestions and to inquire if there
is any possibility that he might be available preferably on the Stanford campus
or if mot perhaps even in San Francisco itself to talk about some of the work
of his group to members of the Study Section. tf he can't come himself perhaps
one of his ciase associates might think of doing this.

Another very interesting suggestion that comes to mind would be Pattee
and perhaps some of the other people over in Biophysics, as | know {| would be
interested myself in a demonstration of the X-ray fluoro micrescope which was
mentioned in Science yesterday.

I'm sure that you have other suggestions based on your local knowledge of
the campus and hope you will use your own judgment freely in making this
inquiry. All that's asked for is the question whether a visit on the indicated
Friday by one or more members of the Study Section would be convenient. It is

hard to be sure exactiy how many such visits wil! actually take place and some
anticipation of it and clarification as to the most convenient times would stil!
be helpful.

{ need hardiy tell you how much we are iooking forward te coming out West,

With best regards as ever,

Joshua Lederberg

JL/jp

P.S. The members of the Genetics Study Section are: Walter Burdette, Louis Baron,
Earl Green, W. Heston, Walter Nickerson, Charles Rick, and Wilsen Stone. The
Executive Secretary is Katherine Wilson.