December 6, 1955

Dean John Z. Bowers
College of Medicine

Bear John:

Kim (Dr. Atwood) had asked me to send him a copy of the "Genetics
and the Medical school", which I had left with you before. But on re-
reading it, it seemed to be a rather weak expression of my own views
probably as it was cosposed for another context. At Wisconsin, it hardly
seems necessary to insist on the desirability of a genetics program. I
therefore thought I would make some more exnlicit comments to send to
Kim and yourself. From the tenor of our conversation, I susnect that
we are really in remarkable agreement about the principles— as I may
have told you, Dr. Morton who was preparing for a specialization in
human statistical genetics has adopted a rather similar conclusion and
is planning to spend his second fellowship year in microbial, rather
than mathenatival, genetic studies as a prelude to a career in medical
genetics,

I am enclosing a brief mammrandum to embody what are, needless to siy,
my own personal views. I assume that Kim will be in furtler correspondence
with yous; you can make whatever use of these memos that you care to betweeh
yourselves. I am also enclosing some additional copies of the syllabus pro
posal fcr the short ccurse.

Yours sincerely,

Joshw Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

CC: KCA
Medical Genetics

Memorandum to Dean Bowers
From: Prof. Lederberg
December 6, 1955

1. Functions: in likely order of importance

A.
B.
B.

Collaboration and consultation with colleagues.
Instruction of medical and graduate students.
Research program.

2. qualifications for leadership in medical genetics

3. Comment

A.

*

Most important: solid training in genetics, with broad perspective on
its special fields: clinical, stat&stical, physiological; microbial....
(This is by far the most important qualification, and already goes a
long way to limit the fiaad.)

Sufficient medical interest and background to be able to communicate
affectively with the staff-- in fact to inculcate an interest and appre-
ciation of the neglected dpportunities for geretic tnsight in a variety
of mdicai problems. Needless to say, this qualification also carries
certain personality requirements, and is also connected with

Ability to teach (communicate with) medical students in the same terms, and
Ability to attract the interest of geneticists in other departments for
collaboratdve assistance in his functions.

Interest and qualifdcations for a research program in an area consistent
with the aims of the medical school.

For leadership in what amounts to a new activity (whether as a separate
departaent or not), adminigstrative commonsense and perspective on the
bearing of his own program én the general educational and research
development of the college and the university. This would require both
tact and vigor in catalyzing the growth of this activity.

on special qualifications. Medical genetics has been considered synonymous
with human genetics. However, medicine is concerned with microbial para-
sites as well as their human hosts. More important, despite the particular
virtues of human populations, they are not amenable to controlled experi-
ment, and much important basic knowledge has to be extracted from studies
with smaller mammals, bacteria, and even traditional materials such as
Drosophila and maize. It is also a question whether human genetics repre-
sents a career discipline in itself-- in,praétise, the daily activities

of a "human geneticist" are likely to consist of statistical analysis of
data collectei by others, or of intensive work in internal medicine, radio-
logy, dermatology etc., or Hf biochemistry, serclogy or the like. While

it would be valuable to find someone, af available, who was both a clinician |
and a fully competent geneticist, such persons are vanishingly rare, and
furthermore too close a speci@ization on humn genetics would probably

lead to a neglect of other aspects of medical importance. On this argument,
it is less important to ask whether a candidate was an anatomist or a
microbiologist than to insist that he have the broadest possible perspective
of genetics as a whole. Specialists in the subdisciplines of geneticists
should be considered for later growth of the division.
4. Organization. This is the aspect with which I am least ac ye inted

(and for the present purposes, the least concerned. However, it is an in-
portant element in {ing discussions pending with another medical school. I

do not think Kim has given mch consideration to this either, ani I don't
know his views, which he will doubtless expound.) Three alternatives present
themselves: There are many pros and cons.
/A. No organizational changes; informal collaboration with other colleges.
/B. Subdiviefon in an existing department (Medicine? ‘ecrobiology’ Cneology?)
/C. Formation of a new "department" or comparable unit.

A. The chief disadvantage is that genetics will not he able to make so ade: juste
an impression without someone in residence at the madical school. There will be
simple physical obstacles in the way of research collaboration and supervision
of students. When routinized, this kind of arrangement is bound to lead to
depreciation of interest. [Speaking for myself, I would be hanpy to help in this
fashion, but on a short term basis ;.

B&C. share the advantage of resident work and teaching in gemtics, ind the op-
portunity of appointing a professor uniquely qualified for the job. 5B might be
easier to sell to the existing faculty, and would relieve the appointee of the
administrative burdens of chairmanship. The chief danger is again that tying the
tail to a large dog may narrow the interest in and immediate development of the
activity. However, the plan B would be acceptable in a department whose leading
professors ani current chairman were esvecially interested themselves in the
growth of medical genetics; otherwise, it might wither on the vine.

The advantages of G are the greater Likalihood of attracting the best candidates,

in view of the encouragement fo autonomous growth, and probably more effective
meansxof cooperating with geneticists outside the medical school (e.g., as an illus-
trative possibility, I could wisualize myself as a joint tenant in a department

of Medical Genetics more readily than in the department of Medicine}. On the

other hand, © would impose the burdens of chairing duties (how strenucus would

they be in a None-man-department"?) and perhaps add to the cumbersomeness of
college administration, Administrative ingenuity should be equal to the task

posed here, but there mist he issues I have not touched upon.

P.S. It was hard for me t#o write Section 2 above without having Kim specifically
in mind-- I wish I could think of any one who could fill the bills so well, as
that would help to sharpen my critique, but I just don't know where you'll find
him. Unfortunately, most of the people who have been attracted té human genetics
have become such nabrow spec#lists that it's hard to talk to them in any other
context, which would be dangerous here. Jim Neel who has been doing a wonderful
job at building up baman genetics at Michigan illustrates the point— he has
practically no interest (or familiarity) in, say, mlerobial genetics or radio-~
biology, and he is doubtless the tops of his own species.