LONG ISLAND BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
COLD SPRING HARBOR, LONG ISLAND

THE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY January 19, 1951

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
Department of Genetics
University of Wisconsin
Madison 6, Wisconsin

Dear Lederberg:

The purpose of this letter is to invite you to participate in the Symposium
on Quantitative Biology at Cold Spring Harbor this June. The title of the meeting
is to be "Genes and Mutations."

It is now exactly ten years since the IXth Symposium was held, on the topic
"Genes and Chromosomes--Structure and Organization." Since that time there have
been many new discoveries, which have considerably modified the picture of the gene
held in 1941. Therefore it seems appropriate to devote another session of the
Symposia to the problem of the gene, and to offer all who are interested an opper=
tunity of taking part in leisurely discussions of the many outstanding questions
connected with this problem.

All papers and prepared discussions given at the symposium will be published
as Volume XVI of the Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology. To
facilitate the work of the symposium and to insure prompt publication of its
results, all manuscripts should be submitted by June l.

According to present plans, the meeting will begin on June 8 and continue
through June 15. It is planned as one unit, with the expectation that all the
participants will be present throughout the sessions. It has been our experience
that this creates an atmosphere stimulating to informal discussion and favorable
for the establishment of more durable forms of cooperation in research. All the
participants on the program will be guests of the Laboratory during the symposium.
The Laboratory is not in a position to pay transportation expenses, except for
participants who come from a distance and who otherwise could not attend. In such
cases arrangements are to be made in advance of the meetings, for coverage of a
part or all of the expense of air or train fare.

The tentative program is enclosed. It is, naturally, subject to change, and
your suggestions will be welcomed by all those concerned with the development of
the plans. At present it is proposed to have three or four papers given by invited
speakers on each of the eight days of the meeting, followed by discussions. The
chairman of each day will preside at the sessions and will correlate the discus-
sions for publication in the volume.

I hope that you will find it possible to take part in the symposium, and I
will appreciate your filling out the enclosed sheet and returning it to me at your
earliest convenience,

Sincerely yours,

M. Demerec, Director