NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
AMES RESEARCH CENTER
MOFFETT FIELD, CALIFORNIA 94035

 

REPLY TO

ATINOF: ILPE: 239-9 November 28, 1973

Professor Joshua Lederberg
Department of Genetics
School of Medicine

Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305

Dear Professor Lederberg:

Iwas delighted to learn of your proposed plans to upgrade your

mass spectrometry capabilities by providing routine high resolution
mass spectrometry (HRMS) and combined gas chromatography/

high resolution mass spectrometry (GC/HRMS). Such a service
could be of inestimable value to our program, As you know we are
developing gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry
facilities for NASA's interests. In particular we are modifying

our equipment in order to determine carbon and nitrogen isotopic
compositions of organic molecules. If available we would use your
proposed facilities for our routine GC/HRMS analysis of biologically
significant molecules which are sought in our program. Most of
our work requires GC/HRMS as opposed to HRMS. In addition, we
are also most interested in computer programs which aid in mass
spectral interpretations, Although we have a few of our own
programs, we would be most eager to upgrade our own interpretation
capabilities through use of programs from your facility.

Our work thus far has been supported solely by NASA; we are not
supported at present by NIH.

I hope that our expression of interest will be of use to you in obtaining
funding for a potentially most useful analytical facility.

Sincerely yours,

Keith A. Kvenvolden
Chief, Chemical Evolution
Branch