Err. Paul Shullenherqer
John D. and Catherine T. !lacArthur Foundation
Suite 700
140 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Xi 60603

Bear :ir. ShuilenSerger:

First, please accept my apologies for tho delay in irnswering your letter.

I was away for alnost  the entire month of October and am only now catching up

with things.

There are two aspects to' Donald Fredrickson's career. he concerns his

accomplishmmte as a research scientist and physician.
active research frote the perspective of another NXH investigator,  they kere a
tine of exciting growth in biorncdical research in general and of the NXH in
particular.
laboratories st the NIH.  Intellectually, the atmosphere was extraordinary.
Yet Don Fredrickson stood out even within that erowrl. IJis fundanentnl dls-
coverles  on lipoproteins were imaginative and inportant and have stood up well,
The wo~k presented a model for one of the aims of the Pc'IH, the interweaving oE
basic bioloey and clinical medicine.

Recalling his years of

A large number of very bright, relatively young people established

   The second aspect of Fredrickson's career is his leadership trithin the
Natianal Heart Institute, the Instftute of Medicine and the NIH itself. To
some extent his extraordinary succeP;s, parriculnrly as the Director, NIH, was
dependant on the earlier years in research,
policy matters the experience am? sense of science, critical elements. Rut
not every scientist can couple those elenents successfully to leadership,
particularly within a fundarnentafly political context, Fredrickson did just
that, The political context was two-fold:
community and the larger political arena of the federal governnent.
again, I point out my own perspective since it is relevant to your evaluations.
During the tine that Predrickson was Director, NIX, X was a sctentist in the
NIII staff.  The confidence of the staff in his leadership was strong and deep.
Similarly, my cofleclgues in univetsittes had B deep trust  in hi8 wisdom.
Through those difficult years,  biomedical research in the kited States con-
t hued to € louri sh .

He brought (and brings) to public

the politics of the scientific

Here

-2-,

Fredricksonfs years a8 Director encompassed the period of  scientific and

public concern about recombinant DNA expetf.aents.
I served on the snall in-house advisory connittee to Fredrickson on reconbinant
DNA matters, We net frequently, often several tinee a week for some hours.
The number of issucs were legion, including environriental inpact statements,
congressional concerns, executive branch concerns, the distinct concerns of
the scientific community, the substance of a rapidly moving science, substan-
tive questions about the safety of the research and how to realize the promise
of the techniques in a responsible manner. The outcone is history. In nany
people's judgments, it presents a model for governmental actions on the impacts
of new technologies. The science has proceeded ~lorioualy. And East reasonable
people agree that the actions taken were cautious and responsihle. AB one who
had the privilege to be an "insider", I can state that the extraordinary resolu-
tion of these problens depended absalutely on Fredrickson's uiadorn and acunen,
but most iqportantly on hi6 abiding faith in Rcience and in the fact that reason-
able solutions were possible so long as people were thoughtful and honest.

As a molecular biologist,

As far as I'm concerned, Fredrickson is a truly great individual and surely

worthy of your support.  As for comparing him with anyone,  X don't know anyone
wftli an even sir.iilar set of talents and accor?.plishnents. As far as what he 'Is
"likely to achieve" with tl 'IIacArthur Award, I can not say. I. now see hln at
:metings of the Council of the Notional Academy oE Sciences and knou of YQFE
current interests. The nost inportant and far-reaching of these is the rela-
tion betueen universities and the federal governnent. But whatever activities
he undertakes under the Award, you czn be certain that It will he scholarly,
interesting and inportant and will make a difference.

Slncerely yours,

'Lxine Singer, L%.D.
Chief, Laboratory of Biochenistry
Platiocal ranccr Institute