THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON 6 OEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL GENETICS DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE Please Reply To GENETICS BUILDING April 19, 1958 Dr. Robert Alway Acting Dean School of Medicine Stanford University, Oalifornia Dear Dr. Always: Thank you for calling last night. I am enclosing a copy ef a prospective syllabus, which I mentioned during our conversation, though I see it needs seme changes in emphasis, based on our experience of the last two years here. In particular, I would suggest that a first course in medical genetics would warrant at least two lectures a week for one quarter, viz, abeut 25 hours altégether. Befere pressing this further, I would want to gauge the extent ef the faculty's interest in revising the curriculum in this directien, and also to become better acquainted with the premedical preparation of yeur students. The items that warrant more time are the chemical basis of heredity, which speaks for a close integratien ef this teaching with that in Biechenistry, and in the genetics of somatic cells (tumors; transplentation; tissue culture) and of bacteria and viruses, Possibly these matters are dealt with sufficiently elsewhere in the curriculum, and wherever possible I am in fact rather against segregating a patch of biological knewledge to pigeonhole it under genetics. You will net imagine that I can pese as an expert en every facet of the convent.eof such ea pregram. In particular, if the Genetics Department is te serve the vital function of training graduate and pestdectorate students, fellows and residents te furnish very badly needed leadership for the growth of nedical genetics ae a discipline, a,broad base of expert competence will be absolutely essentially. The integratien ef the Stanford Medical School into the University sheuld bring the same advantages as pertain here, the eppertunity ef taking advantage ef the academic strength in genetics and other rekated areas of bio- legy. Indeed the main premise of my enthusiastic interest in Stanford at the present time is the likelihood of developing a research, teaching, and departmental progrem elong the satisfactory lines that have been leid dewn here, with the added advaubazes of individual professional associations on the Stanford campus and the general intellectual climate of the whole Bay ares. Assuming, ac I am certain we can, the wholehearted interest and cecperation of our colleagues in Bielogy, Biechenistry and ebsewhere, I weuld lock forward to the help ef two colleagues with whim to constitute a Genetics Department. It is rather too soon to get down te specific names, theugh I would mention right away that I would like te try te persuade Prefessor J. F, Crow of the Genetics Department here to interest himself. The three main areas that ought to be represented ere microbial genetics (e.g, myself); population or biometrical genetics (e.g. Prof. Crow) and some azpect of experimental ypamalian genetics , While the first criterion mist be scientific competence in genetics, we are cerpaisfygoing to look for a background and interest that would further the functi of the department in the medical scheol. Ii think thet I have already given both &rthur Kernberg and Henry Kepian my hope or expectation that the university would furnish immediate backing for the recruitment of ene senior colleague, and would underwrite efforts, which might be subsidized through applications to the NIH, etc., for our third member.. The space needs ef a department of this composition might be met within a net area of 4000 ft2, if this were efficiestly designed for our perticuler purposes, This is not an expansive estimate and certain potential prograns might use more space to some advantage. It is a net figure (exclusive of passageway) and does not include space for animal maintenance which, at Wisconsin, is handled centrally. If itg is possible to do so, may I place even more stress than I did on the phone on the desirability of our setting in the main medical school building, The very novelty of genetics is one argument for minimizing any physical facters that may discourage the most convenient contacts with medical students, house staff and faculty, And I have already indicated the special importance to my wife and myself of close day-to-day working relationships in research with Bicchemistry, If some arrangement on these lines does become possible, we would prefer te move to Stanferd as soon as is convenient, possibly as early as September 1958 if temporary quarters are avaéilable. This is prebably impractically soon from several standpoints, and January 1959 might be a more rebdistic terget. This is a matter of preference (for the benefit of the prograp here, inter alii,) not necessity and we can discuss later dates as alternative possibilities. On the question of the function of a genetics department in a medical school, we can probably save a geod deal of time by observing the very clese analogy with Biochemistry, Beth are fields necessary for fimdamental biological understanding; both have direct application in medivine; research in both is more cenveniently fecussed on experimental materials easier to manipulate than man. In fact, I am somewhat perturbed by the development which genetics is fellewing at several other medical schools, in which the rather specialized techniques of human genetics are stressed to the effective exclusion of experimental work. I cannet (and do net) believe that such an organization furnishes the necessary depth of genetical insight to sustain the best possible progress either in research or in graduate training for research. At the present time, the leading figures in medical genetics in this country were themselves trained on a breader basis than are their contemporary students -~ note for example Jim Neel-- but it is too soon to lock for objective evidence on the shortcomings of a program which overstresses human genetics. The reles which I envisage for the department are fairly obvious; of about equal importance they are: 1) collaberation and consultation with the research, service and pedagogic missions of other departments; 2) eur own program of instruction both for medical and for graduate students; 3) our own research program, Without belittling that particular aspect, I weuld be disappointed if our primary or exckusive function were construed as the teaching of medical undergraduates, Unlike many other institutions, but in commemn with Wisconsin, Stanford should have the resources to be a leading center in the training of research workers (at the graduate and the medical postgraduate level) in medical genetics no less than in other areas of academic medicine. This ebjective is of course of one piece with the others, At least for the present, I would not contemplate setting up a ‘Heredity Clinic’, for genetic counseling. Our policy here has been te confine counseling te the answering of specific scientific questions which may be referred to us by physicians, Our long term pdlicy on this matter will have to be worked out on the basis of the inclinations and qualifi- cations of the members of the department. We consider that eur own time here is better spent in indoctrinating our medical students to a level where they can as pliysicians cope effectively themselves with the most frequent aituations that might arise in their own practice. I see that I am rambling over questions that might better be deferred to a personal meeting. One last point, however; January 1959 is probably the earliest realistic target date for a move, and other things being equal we would probably prefer net to put it off much beyond that time, This is net compulgive, however, and the date may have te be revised in the light of our solution to the space problem. I am alse adding a checklist of some of the items that might be on our agenda, My brother Seymour's Berkeley address is 1507A Arch Street, Berkeley 8. I will try te call Henry Kaplan at Sausalito sometime Sunday morning if I have not heard from him, Uhless I hear otherwise, I will count on driving down to PA with him on Sunday afternoon, (Mey 11). Yours sincerely, Joshua Lederberg Space & Facilities-- financing Deptl. Organtaation: faculty appointgents & secretary Curriculum Salary & moving expenses Application for NIH training grant? ; continuity of existing grants Arrangements for graduate students; tuition fellowships?; Ph.D. degree program Tuition exemption privilege! Exployment of Dr. Esther M. Lederberg Other questions will doubtless come up, These should not be construed as being all vital to decision, 1) we have no children; hewever I have a primary ohligation fot the education of one younger brother Bernard who will be graduating from Central High School in Philadelphia in January 1959. Would I stand in loco perentis for him at Stanford? Would this apply at any other institution exchanging with Stanford? 2) We assume that our previeus understanding would also held in the medical school, that she would be eligible for appointment to a non-tenure position payable from grant funds.