MAR 5 197t

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
BETHESDA, MARYLAND 20014

 

March 2, 1971

Dr. Joshua, Lederberg
Department of Genetics
School of Medicine
Stanford University
Stanford, California 94305

Dear Joshua:

Thanks for your note regarding the moneys that has just been
released to NIGMS for genetic research. It is gratifying to know
of your continuing concern for the Collaborative Study. These funds,
alas, will not affect the Study as such.

The cut that I discussed with you over the phone turned out to be
bigger than we anticipated -- 2.1 million, or approximately 30% of our
budget. We all tightened our belts so as not to drop some institutions
and thus jeopardize the chromosomal study, and our collaborators have
been very understanding. I am not sure how these economics will be
effected but data collection will go on. As you may know, the chromo-
somal study has been funded as of January 1, 1971 and collection of
blood samples has already begun.

You may be interested to know of some other genetics-related ex-
tensions of the Study and how they are developing. Mim Neel proposed
that, in collaboration with his group, we develop an ethnicity index
for primarily the Negro children in the Study using polymorphic blood
loci and anthropometric characteristics. This, of course, would be es-
sential in any analysis involving IQ, congenital maadémmasions, etc. as
outcome variables. The proposal has been approved but we cannot fund
it as a contract because it will be very costly. The NICHD is interested
in it if it were submitted as a grant application but Jim is not willing
to handle it that way. We decided, if we can get the money, to collect
the bloods now and type them later if the money situation eases up.

You may have also heard that the NHI received a special appropriation
of five million for research in sickle-cell anemia. They have no idea
how to go about spending it and they are interested in developing a project
using Collaborative Study data. We are now in the process of developing
such a proposal with them and Bob Murray (at Howard U.) to study the effects
of sickling in the mother on the outcome of pregnancy and the growth and
development of children who are themselves sicklers. Bob will do the
electrophoresis in his laboratory.

All of these things, of course, do not affect the progress of the
Collaborative Study but are logical extensions of it and they will pay
off -- if they will let us finish the Study itself.

We will be delighted to see you and your wife when yourare next in
Washington.

Very sincerely,

4

Ntinos C. Myrianthopoulos, Ph.D.

Head, Section on Epidemiology and
Genetics

Perinatal Research Branch

National Institute of Neurological
Diseases and Stroke