Section of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology 
CORNELL UNIVERSITY 
N.Y.S. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 
A Statutory College of the State University 
COLLEGE OF ARTS and SCIENCES 
WING HALL, ITHACA, NEW YORK 1485} 
Division of Biological Sciences 
December 21, 1979 
Dr. Donald Frederickson 
Director of the National 
Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20205 
Dear Dr. Frederickson: 
I strongly recommend that the new proposed guidelines of November 30, 
1979 be instituted. Section III-O (p. 69218) is particularly rational. 
A multitude of real environmental problems confront us today. I believe 
it is irresponsible to waste time and energy regulating non-existent hazards. 
Recombinant DNA research has already demonstrated its worth as a tool 
in basic research and as a technique by which many of our medical and energy 
problems can be solved. This revision removes some of the impediments that 
hamper this work and it is clearly a positive step in the direction of com- 
mon sense in the federal guidelines. 
Sincerely 
John T. Lis 
Assistant Professor 
JTL:mgl 
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