Department of Genetics
University of Wiseonsin
Madison 6, Wisconsin
March 28, 1952

Dr. C. C. Spicer

London NW 9, England

Dear Dr. Spicer:

Your letter of the 24th has just been received. Needless to say, I am
gratified at your interest in working with us.

In principle, your proposal meets with my enthusiastic approval, and I
just wish that we had the facilities that would permit an unqualified
concordamce. Unfortunately, we are literally crammed together in our
small laboratory, and must give very careful consideration both to our
needs and those of a new entrant. However, there should be some allevia-—
tion of this pressing condition sometime this fall, so the situation is
not entirely hopelsss.

Thus, I can see no possibility whatever of your working effectively here
during the rest of this academic year. Next September, we will be a little
less crowded, but still tight for space, and there wouid also be the contin-
gency of some interruption from the remodelling of the laboratories (I hope!d.

he most likely period would be, probably, from about March 1 -June 30, 1953.
With some advanse preparation, it should be possible to do a good deal in four
months. Would this schedule suit you? At any rate. let me know the constraints
on your plans so that we can look for common ground. You might be interested
to compars notes with your colleague ©. 3. Anderson.

There is no dearth of potential problems worth considering. In view of
your recent experience, it might be profitable to look at some other sero-
logical transductions in our present system involving groups B and D (mre
precisely, XiI5-currying Salmonella). “hese sre cf more than horticultural
significance, as I think they may shed some light on the genetiv basis of
flageller phase variation. The other possibility would be to look for trans~
ductive or other recombinational systems in group C and B. I am a little
suspicicus (as they were) that Bruner and Edwards’ anatum-newilngton resulty
aay have been transductive. It would not hurt tc prepare for your visit by
collecting strains in these groups, and perhaps by stuating to produce auxd-
trophic mutants in some of them, with a special look-out for lysogenic types.
How about thompson? Or wuld you prefer potsdam in view of your studies on
potsdam x typhimrium? iHow's that coming along, by the way?) Well, we can
discuss these details later.

Sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg