CHARLES F. KETTERING FOUNDATION / SUITE 300 / 5335 FAR HILLS AVENUE / DAYTON, 0HI0 45429 
E. H. VAUSE, Vice President, Science and Technology 
December 2, 1976 
Dr. Donald S. Frederickson 
Director 
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare 
Public Health Service 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20014 
Dear Dr. Frederickson: 
Your letter of November 17, 1976 addressed to Mr. Lombard, 
our former President, has reached me for reply. 
We applaud the leadership tl?e NIH is giving in establishing 
guidelines for carrying out recombinant DNA research. 
The Interagency Committee is another step in the right 
direction. 
Our research laboratory is not now engaged in such research, 
but we expect to enter this field soon. We are involved 
in several aspects of nitrogen fixation research and some 
of the activities relate to increasing the yield and pro- 
ductivity of soybeans and other legumes. Our investiga- 
tors along with other plant scientists and cell biologists 
are considering gene amplification as one means for increas- 
ing overall nitrogen fixation in such symbiotic systems. 
As you know, no guidelines now exist for dealing with plants 
or the "beneficial" microorganisms which infect plants. 
Such guidelines are urgently needed for scientists who have 
already begun preliminary experiments in these areas of 
investigation . 
Our laboratory will abide by whatever guidelines are promul- 
gated whether or not compliance is regulated by the federal 
government . 
Please write or call if we can assist in any further way 
on this important matter. 
Sincerely, 
E. H. Vause 
EHV: jl 
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