UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY
DAVIS, CALIFORNIA

March 15, 1962

Prof. Joshua Lederberg

Dep't of Genetics

Stanford Univ. School of Medicine
Palo Alto, California

Dear Frof. Lederberg:

The project which you are directing, aimed at detecting
life forms on Mars and Venus, I find to be of tremendous interest.
Although I am not a micro-biologist, I have thought for a long time
that I would like to push my research interests in the direction
of "space biology"; however, there is so little opportunity to
exchange information with people pioneering in this field, that
the actual stimulus to begin has so far been lacking.

This is my first year with the Univ. of California, and I had
the opportunity this semester to invite Dr. Richard Young, of the
NASA Ames Research Center, to present a seminar. This gave me the
occasion to talk with him at length (yesterday), and opened my eyes
to a number of circumstances I had not realized. I had assumed, for
instance, that the extra-terrestrial life program was proceeding
with as much sophistication in facilities, engineering personnel, etc.
as (for instance) the Mercury astronaut program, and in fact, I
thought there was much interchange of facilities and personnel
in these two programs within NASA. I was surcrised to learn that
the space biolosy group is only now planning its first orbital
package, and that the Man in Space program is entirely separate.

I am encouraged to believe that there may be room for a novice
to "break into" space biological research, and with this in mind, I
hope to visit the Ames laboratory later this spring. At the same
time, I am most inspired by the Mars-Venus extra-terrestrial life
probes, and I would like to have the opportunity to learn where the
problems are, what kind of thinkin;, has been done, and whether there
is opportunity for me to participate, through facilities av-ilable
to me here in Davis.

Ideally, I would like to talk to you, or to one of vour
associates, when I make the trip to Ames. If you would let me
know whether I would be welcome, and the most convenient day of the
week, I would like to come sometime in mid-April, end will plan
the trip to avoid inconvenience to you or your people.

I look forward to your reply.

1044 Od

Dincerely,
Bed. DuPraw
Ass't Professor