Januery 31g 1957
Dear Gunther: |

We are still tingling from the wonderful time we-had during our
California visit (or is that the -10 weather we've been havinc?)—
the dinner party we had with you and Inge was one of the high points,
and we hope not the laast of its turn or kind,

Since then, the offer fron Genetics has been materializiny with
astonishing speed and smoothness, and sone of the last preliminary
difficulties having just lately been cleared up, we really mist bezin
to face a tenpting but difficult decision, Madison has been a very
congenial place for us, and we have enjoyed the free and easy spirit
with which the departmental barriers here are taken. In addition, sane
prospects of new developments in medical genetics here present a real
challenge for leadership.

I don't have to tell you why, on the other hand, we might prefer
Berkeley (prsent company ine@luded too), However, a nymber of people have
warned that on account of its very size, the administrative setup at.
Derkeley is stiffer, and various kinds of cooperations that could be taken
for granted here might have to be worked out more studiously. I don't know
how true this gossip is, but if we can't work out the same kind of, mutual-
interest relationships, most of Berkeley's attractiveness as a university
will have dissipated, It will help @ great deal to know we can rely on
such old friends as Roger and Mike, and we will be very disappointed if
we can't find a focus of interest with you, on sanething at least the size
ef one lambda particle.

One issue that might bear sane early thought is the course setup,
Although, ualike here,where we have regular interlistines (Genetics 107 =
Bacteriology 107= bacterial genetics) there may be more formalities, Jenxins
has made it clear we could work out our own arrangements as we chose. I an
expected to teach in the area of 'physiological genetics!, bug rather than
make an independent offering, weuldn't it be better if we could pool our
respective resources (you and Ed Adelberg and myself and whoever else is
concerned) for a coordinated offering that would cover what is usually civen
as a hodge-podge of physiolozical and biochemical and microbial genetics.
Possibly excepting Caltech, there is no other university I can think of
that has the breadth of resources to do this so well, There are some obvious
problems too, such as the level of offering, premequisites, and so on, but
what do you think of the proposal?

This is, of course, predicated on one of three possible outcanes
(would you call them abortive infection, lysis and lysoreny?) and our
being able to make up our minds instead of going into resenerative oscillation.
I'm planning to revisit Berkeley in early April (fer a cytogenetics
seminar) directly on retmrmming fron CIBA. Hope to see you then.
Yours,

Joshma Lederber =