December 12, 1955

Dean Abraham White
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
New York 61, N.Y.

Dear Dr. White:

I hope that you will have achieved some progress in the development of
your faculty since our earlier correspondence. But I hope I am not irtruding
too mich in making the following suggestion, nagely that you consider the
establishment of a department of medical genetics. I do not know whether
this possibility has already been considered. If 80, you can simply ignore
my remarks.

Judging from conversations I have had with people from several medical
schools, genetics is going to be due for renewed emphasis in medical education
and research. These discussions have led to some preoccupation on my part with
this queation. One of the problems seems to be in introducing a new discipline
into an already rigidified curriculum and balance of departments. A new school
would have the bes$ opportunity to atart from the beginning with a proper
balance. Perhaps this is wiat you alreddy had had in mind in being willing
to consider me for your microbiology department, though I did not so construe
your remarks, At any rate, I have reached the conclusion that human genetics
per sé, with its usual concentration on statistical methodology is too narrow
a channel for the very importantbpart that genetics can, and is bound to, play
in medicine in the years to come. For other purposes, I have prepared the briefs
which are enclosed; I take the liberty of thrusting them on your own atéention,
but you can give tiem whatever consideration you care to.

Sinca your staff already includes Salome Waelsch, who is of course a geneticist
of outstanding competence, I can be sure that genetics will not be ignored al-
together in the development of your program. However, I believe that a case
can be made for elevaténg genetics to the status of an independent science in
medicine, on a par with physiology or biochemistry, and that it is likely to
be underplayed unless it has that kind of recognition.

With best regards,
Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg

“Ak Brofessor of Genetics

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