UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 
AHMANSON CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH 
LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA 90007 
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 
December 18, 1979 
Dr. Donald S. Fredrickson 
Director, National Institutes 
of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20014 
Dear Dr. Fredrickson: 
I would like to support the newly proposed changes in the 
NIH guidelines on recombinant DNA research. These proposed 
changes were published in the Federal Register of November 30, 
1979. Particularly I would like to support the proposed changes 
shown on page 69218, section III-O. Many pieces of information 
now indicate the safety of E. coli in recombinant systems allow- 
ing the replication and amplification of eucaryotic DNA pieces. 
Also, the proposed reductions in containment would be helpful 
in advancing work on viruses and eucaryotic genetics. 
Sincerely, 
Robert F. Baker 
Associate Professor and 
Director of Molecular Biology 
RFB : sew 
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