February 18, 1958

Dr. T. C. Sheng
Biology Departae nt
Fu-Tan University
Shanghai, China

Dear Sheng:

Your letter of just a year ago reached Madison while I was out of
the country. I kept it in mind all year long, twt I was away in Australia
fa@r several months and I mislaid your letter for some long time. I just
discovered it again today and I hasten to reply. Please accept my
apologies for the long delay.

I am sending a parcel of reprints by separate mil. I hope you will
let me know when they reach you. As to the cultures you requested, I
think you could get them with the least delay from Professor H. Kikkawa
at Usaka University in Japan. If he is unable to help you, let me know
and I will send them airmail myself. There will be certain formalities
in obtaining an export license but since these materials are entirely for
basic research and education, there should bea no difficulty.

We are of courge anxious to hear how you are prospering personally and of
the state of genetic work in China, I have had some interchange with geneti-
cists in the USSR and it is obvious that microbial genetics is beginning to
be developed along sound lines in @ther communist countries. ould you -be
able to return the courtesy by exchanging reprints? I am afraid I do not
read Chinese, so English summaries would be necessary. However, I have two
Japanese students in the lab now (Tino from iisima and Hirota from Osaka)
and they might be able to help.

Can you send my best wishes to C. ©. Tan? shat news of him? Now that
the political climate has softened somewhat I hope it will be possible to
encourage normal friendly scientific contacts. Aould you ask him whether
he could not exchange publications and send some news of himself.

I will be going to the Stockholm International Congress of Microbiology
this august and hope that you or some news of you may reach there.

Ig you had not heard of it, Tom is now at the following address: Dr, T. C.
Nelson, antibictic Division, Development Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Company,
Indianapolis 6, Indiana.

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg
JL/ew Professor of Medical Genetics

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