August 28, 1961

Dr. James B. Hartgering .
President's Scientific Advi sory. Counchl Gir.
The White House

Washington, 0.C.

Deer Dr. Hartgering:

You will recall our conversation concerning the PSAC panel on
bloastronautics that you had asked me to join. | Indicated thet | would
be hopeful of being able to be of some limited service to the panel when
its detfiberations particularly concerned exoblalogy. I would like to
recommend for your consideration the appointment of one of my very close
colleagues as an alternate to myself, Dr. Ellott €. Levinthal. Dr.
Levinthal fs now In charge of the exoblology taboratory program here
and we have had many detalled conversations on research In space blology
which have been most frultful to me, and which will also have: given
him the opportunity of a detalled Impression of my own views. in additlon
to his special experience at the present time, | would also say that his
previous background and general common sense would recommend him very
highly for membership on a comnittee of this kind. With particular
reference to the part of exoblological work In the national space program,
While Dr. Levinthal would certainly deserve membership in his own right,
you might also wish to consider the possibility of his acting as an
alternate for those meetings which | would be unable to attend myself.

t enclose a brief curriculum vitae .
“curs sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics