and have the same high regard for him as a human being having the most

October 4, 1968

Sir Peter Medawar, F.R.S.

National Institute for Medical Research
The Ridgway

Mill Hill

London, N.W. 7, England

Dear Peter:

Veloce
Dr. Alejandro Zaffaroni is an organic chemist that you may.or may not
know fot his scientific work on the chromatography of steroids, but you
will surely have heard something of him as the leading force in Syntex

Laboratories, which has played such a central role in making a practical
reality out of chemical contraception. I have known him for many years,

profound values, as well as a very engaging wit and intelligence.

Alex has recently resigned from his positions at Syntex to start a new
venture, Alza Corporation, as a means of exploring some radically new
basic approaches in pharmacology and pharmacodynamics. He is very eager
to meet you and I feel I will be doing both of you a favor to try to
facilitate the introduction intended by this letter.

/WONy tAY

He will be in London October 19-~23 (inclusive) and will inquire by phone
of your office if you can possibly arrange some time to see him. He will
be staying at the Dorchester, arriving the evening of the 18th, if you .
should care to leave a measage for him:

Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

P.S. The news setfion of Nature some weeks ago carried some brief items
about Mill Hill, one of which caught my eye - that parasitic worms incor-
porate host antigens as a means of masking themselves against immune
rejection. I had not ensountered any such work in the literature, and if
you Can uncover any publications on it I would appreciate hearing of them.