MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

CAMBRIDGE 39, MASSACHUSETTS

Professor Francis O. Schmitt Cable Address: Technology Cambridge

26 September 1962

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
Department of Genetics
Stanford University
School of Medicine
Palo Alto, California

Dear Lederberg:

On February 1, 1962, a group of us banded together to form a
Neurosciences Research Program for the purpose of stimulating
advance in research on the physical and chemical basis of
brain function with particular reference to memory, learning,
and the processes which together subserve cognitive behavior.
Since then a one-day meeting of the members -- called
Associates -- was held at the National Academy of Sciences on
March 23, 1962 and on August 20-24, 1962 the first intensive
meetings were held at the Associates' Center in the House of
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Boston. The
names of the twenty-seven Associates are given in the attached
list. Oliver Lowry and Lars Onsager have been invited to the
November meetings looking forward to their joining the group
of Associates.

A grant from the N.I.H. having a five-year commitment defrays
the costs of the meetings and of maintaining the Center staff
and other non-government gifts have been received. All
expenses of Associates in coming to meetings are defrayed and,
to meet out-of-pocket expenses, an honorarium of $50 per day,
comparable to that paid by federal agencies, is paid to
Associates in lieu of consulting fees which are paid to
visiting lecturers.
Dr. Joshua Lederberg -2- 26 September 1962

One of the services rendered by the Center Staff is to search
for and process information pertinent to the program. A
highly specialized library is in the building at the Center,
presided over by a well trained librarian.

Associates are welcome to use the Center facilities, situated
in a beautiful garden estate in Brookline, six miles from
M.1I.T.

The intramural program of the Associates is that described
above. It has been decided that we shall also undertake an
extramural program similar to that operated in 1958 at
Boulder, Colorado, by the Biophysics Study Section of N.I.H.
It is hoped that this project will break down the barriers of
traditional disciplines so that rapid advance can be made in
the difficult problem of understanding more about mental
processes. The Boulder-type program cannot take place before
the summer of 1964. One of the dividends of the program will
be the publication of a volume on the neurosciences comparable
to that published on the biophysical sciences resulting from
the 1958 program.

M.I.T. is sponsoring the Neurosciences Research Program at
present and is administering the N.I.H. grant. However, a
Neurosciences Research Foundation has been incorporated in

the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the purpose of sponsoring
the program and being legally responsible for it. The names
of the Incorporators are given in the enclosed list. It is
expected that the sponsorship will be transferred from M.I.T.
to the Foundation in the near future. This will not only make
possible fast action unimpeded by red tape but will provide
freedom of the Associates from external influence from govern-
ment, industry, and even universities.

If you have substantial interest in the basic problem around
which the Program centers and find the Associates’ program
challenging and potentially rewarding, we hope you will wish

to become an Associate. Rather than to ask you for a decision
and commitment at this time, you might plan to attend the
November 13-15 meetings and decide on the basis of that experi-
ence whether you wish to join.
Dr. Joshua Lederberg -3- 26 September 1962

If you can come to the November meetings, I'm sure the
Associates would be interested to hear from you a brief
description of the plans for your new institute. About
20 minutes would be abailable for this purpose. Should
you wish further information please call me by telephone
collect.

You might care to discuss the Program over the telephone

with one or more of the Associates located on the West Coast.

Don Glaset' at’ Berkeley would be nearest. Norman Davidson’ © .-fu/
at Cal. Tech. and Ted Bullock at’ UCLA could also give you
background. .

I hope you will forgive the inordinate length of this letter;
I tried a number of times to reach you by telephone but was
unsuccessful.

Looking forward to hearing from you, I am

Sincerely yours,

Aunen SAH

Francis O. Schmitt

Enclosures