Dr. M. B. Sahasrabudhe
M.Sc., Ph.D. (London) 9.
FCAI, FMAS, FAMS.
Emeritus Scientist,
Sion-Trombay Road,
Deonar, Bombay 400 088.
India.

 

| 12th January 1987.
Dear Professor Joshua Lederberg,

_ Last week I came across in the latest
issue of NATURE dated 18th-31st December 1986, your “Fortieth
anniversary reminéscences"® and a follow-up article on "“Post-
mature scientific discovery" with Harriet Zuckerman. This
brought back pleasant memories of meeting you first at the
Cancer Research Institute at Bombay and later in Copenhagen
at the Carlsberg Laboratories in 1958, when you were consider-
ing recruitment of A. T. Ganesan to work with you.

Actually I had planned to call on you and
seek your advice some time during April-July 1986 while I was
in USA as a Visiting Professor at the University of Rochester
Cancer Centre at Rochester N.Y. But the eagerness to complete
my work during the short time I had at Rochester prevented me
in getting in touch with you.

I retired from the Cancer Research Institute
Bombay in 1978 and on principle I did not wish to continue work
at a place where I had held important positions such as the
Head Chemotherapy Division and Dean of the Institute. I have
kept myself fairly active in the field, but without adequate
laboratory facilities the progress of work can be disappoint-
ingly slow. It can be very frustrating when you know that you
have something to offer for the alleviation of human suffering.
Few lines below will probably explain what I am trying to say.

As you probably know, the currently used
diagnostic methods detect cancers only when the tumour load
exceeds a million cells. It is too late by then. I have
developed a method, which I believe can detect cancers in
persons at risk of cancer long before they are even aware of
its presence or are motivated to seek medical advice for any
of the cancer related symptoms. Using our 300 times stronger
tumour-mimetic antigens developed by us,I feel we can detect
cancers really early when the tumour load is between 1 to
10,000 cells. Further the method is an in vitro method and
requires hardly 1-2 mls of peripheral blood which 1s readily
obtainable through periodic heaith check-ups. It has the
potential of picking out persons at risk of cancer at a very
early stage from the general populace. We have already carried
out the spade work and the rationale seems to be fairly
established. Even so I like to carry out some controlled
experiments and put the idea to rigorous tests in experimental .
2.

animal model system where controls can be rigorously applied
and results ascertained within # © stipulated time.

I would appreciate receiving your advice
on how best the developmental work can be expedited. Would
the Rockefeller Institute be of any assistance in the speedy
development of the project. I would appreciate your views
in the matter at your earliest convenience.

With kind regards and wishing you a Very
Happy New Year.

Yours Sincerely,
19. Sonar fom 1987

( M. B. Sahasrabudhe )

To,

Professor Joshua Lederberg
Rockefeller University
1230 York Avenue

New York, New York 10021.

U. Ss. A.