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STANFORD UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER OCT 28 1369
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305 © (415) 321-1200

 

 

STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE October 23 » 1969
Department of Genetics

Dr. Arno Motulsky

Division of Medical Genetics

University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, Washington

Dear Arno:
This letter is addressed to fellow geneticists.
i nave been sitting on the NIMH Advisory Council for the last two years, and

have been struck by the very feeble development of behavioral genetics in
contrast to other fields.

 

I do not wish to demean the small number of workers who are pursuing an active
if lonely profession. But the dimensions of mental health problems are all

out of proportion to the relative orientation of underiying research in genetics
and biochemistry, even taking account of difficulties of absolute levels of
funding.

The problem has many layers, and I write you now about just one, albeit possibly
at the most complex and intractable, namely the interface of psychology and
animal and human genetics.

Can you suggest what might be done to improve the communication between these
disciplines? Have you considered seeking out opportunities for fruitful col-
laboration with psychologists and psychiatrists in training and research?
(Geneticists, in my view, have always been most productive in such collabora+
tions when they could assimilate the established instruments of existing
disciplines. It may not be necessary to start such programs with any single
individual who styles himself a‘behavior geneticist").

These are not cheerful days for optimism about finding new funds for innovative
projects. However, in the long run, quality and imagination will tell, and

there are many people at NIMH who are perceptive of the importance as well as the
deficits of this area.

Any comments you may have would be most welcome.

You may also get more information about NIMH research and training grants from
Dr. Fred Elmajian, Chief of the Biological Sciences Section, Training and
Manpower Resources Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 5454 Wisconsin
Avenue, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20015. Possibly many of you are not aware that
these are managed rather independently of NIH with some administrative coordin-
ation.

Sincerely yours,
id ao? <7
Joshua Lederberg

Professor of Genetics