April 14, 1975

Mr. Jerald Feitelson
42 Wellington Road
East Brunswick, New Jersey 08816

Dear Mr. Feitelson,

This is to let you know that the Department of Genetics is
prepared to welcome you as a student in our graduate program starting
this September. I must also state certain qualifications which I hope
you will understand and accept.

As I think I indicated to you over the telephone, your joint
interests in computer science and in genetics were an extremely
attractive feature of your credentials. To tell the truth, your
academic record is somewhat better than acceptable but below the
customary standard that we expect from most of our graduate students,
I have in mind your performance in many courses in biology and bio—
chemistry. On the other hand, I had excellent accounts of your
independent laboratory work and found your thesis report quite interasting.
Above all, you came in with an extraordinary combination of expertise
that happens to fit very closely with some of our research objectives
here.

I understand very well - and I would not have it otherwise ~ that
you wish to spend at least half of your time ‘in a molecular genetics
laboratory doing bench research. We have plenty for you to do in that
context as I believe you may perceive from the preprint that has been
sent to you concerning our recent line of work on DNA insertion. However,
I would also hope that you will share our interests in the development
of computer programs that emulate our own thinking and planning about
these experiments and it is on that basis that this offer is being
tendered to you. I think an exciting and creative program is possible
on this basis and that it would be entirely consistent with the
aspirations that you indicated in your self-description. On the other
hand, we are relying on you to be one of the key people to function in
a bridging capacity between the knowledge base of molecular genetics
as an experimental science and a consorted effort to extend the principles
of cur DENDRAL Project to the area of molecular genetics. If you are not
prepared to accept such a role for a sighificant, but not a major part
of your time, then I hope you will be candid enough not to accept this
tender.

over
Mr. Jerald Feitelsén -2- 4414/75

Connected with your acceptance as a graduate student is your
access to a traineeship under our NIH sponsored training grant program.
Together with supplementary stipends the benefits from this appointment -
are intended to exactly match those of successful applicants for the
NSF predorctoral fellowships. So, they include a living allowance of
$3,000 per year, subject to some adjustment for special needs in eel
years, plus coverage of all tuition and costs.

I should tell you that besides the excellent facilities that we
have for doing laboratory work in molecular genetics, we also have
convenient access to the SUMEX computer system which might be said to
have been designed specifically for the kind of research just outlined.
We also have an excellent team of people with the computer science base
who are eager to continue a long-standing collaboration with me and my
assodiates.

As there are a few other people standing in the queue behind you,
I would very much appreciate your letting me know at your earliest
convenience what your choice will be.

Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

JL/rr