DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR GENETICS Gocwer ELLER tri
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL RS “a
HATTUCK TRE ra
£8 suarrvcn wont AUG 3 1380

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02118

      

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LCE OF Tye PRES”

August 5, 1980

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
President

The Rockefeller University
York Avenue

New York, New York 10021

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

Apparently your sources were right if a little in advance
of official action. I am pleased to join the Panel. with the
prospect of your leadership.

I hope it will be possible to have the three of us meet
very soon without the NCI staff and in a leisurely setting to
begin to consider what the Panel can focus on for the next few
years. Perhaps we can meet in your office at your convenience. a

Am I correct in my understanding that the Panel is empowered
to concern itself with any aspect of the cancer program it consi-
ders in need of review? If so, we can perhaps direct our atten-
tion to such issues as:

1. Extending funding period for outstanding investigators
and projects.

2. The dogma and the priority scores of highly original
proposals.

3. Should the Cancer Program engage in so-called "control"
efforts? If so, what and how much?

4. Should our limited funds be spent on trying to discour-
age smoking of cigarettes? Should some other agency
or agencies take on persuasion activities?

5. The search for carcinogens vs. the study of carcinogenesis.
Dr. Joshua Lederberg August 5, 1980
Page 2

6. What approaches to nutrition and cancer should be
encouraged? How to go about finding a new direction
for nutrition research. The Establishment in nutrition
and the Science of nutrition.

7. How much diversity in experimental systems should be
encouraged?

8. The threat to public confidence in the Cancer Program
and the involvement in risk assessment and speculation
(as in cancer due to exposure in the workplace and
diet recommendations for cancer prevention) .

I would especially like to hear at length your assessment
of the Panel's potential and how we should proceed.

Sincerely,

Harold Amos

ha/yh