March 1, 1977

Dr. C.W. Clancy

Department of Biology
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403

Dear Dr. Clancy,

Thts letter is in connection with the collection of material for a
memoir on Ed Tatum - perhaps this is best explained by the enclosure.

I am writing to you particularly, at Dave Perkins’ suggestion, trying
to focus a little bit more sharply on the critical steps in the early
genesis of the Neurospora research. Few if any documents seem to have
survived, and what I have been able to get from George Beadle, lacking
such corraboration and after the passage of so many years and diverse
events, is still a little vague on some of the details of what was started
and just when.

Since from the write-up in the American Men of Science, I assume you
may have left Stanford for Oregon in the summer or early fall of 1940, you
might be in a position to offer some critical timing information about the
development of these ideas as you were able to perceive them at the point
of your leaving Stanford.

I have heard a good deal of indirect comment that Beadle and Tatum
had been exploring organisms other than Drosophila for some time prior
to the decision to use Neurospora but have been unable to get any detail on
that.

If you have any recollections or notes that might help pin down
exactly when Neurospora was being thought of, and what alternative systems
were under consideration I would be most appreciative.

Naturally, I would also welcome any other reminiscences about Ed Tatum
and the scene at Stanford during the time of your graduate work that might
be helpful in composing this memoir and for the archives.

Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics