January 13, 1954
Dear Mr. Day:

I am pleased to reply to youssof the 9th. I would like to
help you in any way that I can. However, I think that your appli-
cation might be misaddressed to me. The field of your interest
would appear to coincide very closely with the very important
work being led at this campus by Professor G. W. Keitt, in the
Department of Plant Pathology. I have had the pleasure of consul-
ting with him on numerous accasions in the past, and would be
happy to continue such an arrangement if you should find it pos-
sible to work with him. Professor Keitt's closest concerns now are
in the genetics of Venturia inaequalis, but it happens there is
also some work going on with Cladosporium. Unfortunately, I do
not have sufficient assurance of space in my own laboratory for
next year that I can afford to make any additional commitments
at the instant. But let me reiterate that while an association
with the Plant Pathology department would be more pertinent to your
immediate interests, you would be welcome to join our seminars,
courses, discussions, etc. We are just across the street from
Prof. Keitt. The work in our own laboratory is centered almost
entirely on bacteria at the present time.

You briefly mentioned something about smuts. Do you know
David Perkins((Stanford University) work on Ustilago meydis?
(Genetics 34: 607, 1949). We had once theught of some work on
these linea ourselves, but went to other things when I learned
that Dave was going after it. If this is a primary interest, you
might want to communicate with Dr. Perkins at the Stanford Biology
Department. I passing I might also mention that Dr. Paul Allen
(on leave from our Botany Department) is presently at the Molteno
Institute, and you might be interested to learn somthing of his
physiological studies on sporidial Ustilago.

May I recommend then that you pursue your application with Pro-
fessor Keitt, outlining your particular interests in some detail,
stating when and for how long you would be available, and so forth.
It would be appropriate for you tohave two or three letters of
reference forwarded to him (or me) as well, and I know that Prof.
Keitt will be interested to hear of your thesis studies in some
de&til. (I had just seen your remarks in the "MOB"). Since we
have to settle our plans for next year before very long,expeditadon
would be prudent.

Please convey my respects to Dr. Lewis,

Yours sincerely, J
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Joshua Lederberg
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