School of Medicine
School of Dental Medicine
School of Veterinary Medicine
Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences

Irwin M. Arias, M.D.
Professor and Chairman
Department of Physiology
Professor of Medicine

July 17, 1994

Joshua Lederberg, PhD
Rockefeller University
York Avenue
New York, N.Y.

Dear Josh,
I'd appreciate your advice regarding the following.

In 1986, I began a program at Tufts to bridge the increasing gap
between advances in biology and their application to disease. The
program demystifies medicine for PhD graduate students, fellows
and faculty, and. has been very successful.

Without adding time to basic science training, we have succeeded in
training a large number of students and faculty....and can
substantiate the success of our efforts.

The program meets a national goal, does not substitute for training
MD/PhD scientists and is highly attractive to graduate students and
fellows.

A New England Journal of Medicine article on the program in 1990
resulted in over 1000 reprint requests. The program has been
presented and, in many cases, implemented in the attached list of
institutions here and abroad.

136 Harrison Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02111
617 956-6739

FAX: (617) 956-0445
We have followed all students and have convincing data suggesting
that our goals are being accomplished (enclosed survey summary).

Initial support (2yrs) was from the Josiah Macy. Jr Foundation, and
later support was from the Markey Foundation. Support terminates
at the end of the next academic year. Pew, Howard Hughes and
Welcome Trust expressed considerable interest....... but have not (yet)
seen our efforts as within their current activities.

Josh, we have created a novel program which is accomplishing an
important goal.....at amazingly little cost. Inquiry by numerous
students and institutions reflects broad interest in bridging science
with medicine. Furthermore, the decline in physician-scientists
creates excellent career opportunities for PhD scientists who have a
basic understanding of human disease.

Please advise me regarding possible avenues of continued support.
It would be a pleasure to meet and discuss the exciting details of the

program.

With best wishes, I remain

   
   

Sincetely yours,

M. Arias, M.D.

PS You were kind enough to participate in the first American Liver
Foundation Symposium on "Bridging Basic Science and Liver Disease"
(with Barry blumberg, Bob Schimke, Henry Platt, etc) in 1990. The
event has become an annual one. I enclose the program for
1994.....along with an invitation to join us if you can.

enclosures: NEJM article
institutions
brief progress report
report on student's/fellow's status