[Email Exchange between Jon Cohen and David Baltimore]

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From: David Baltimore <[email protected]>
To: Jon Cohen <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 1998 2:03 PM
Subject: Re: Quick question
Sorry to have been so long answering but I have fallen far behind in
correspondance.
I am not sure about Howard, but I know that I had no funding from the SCVP,
but there was no way for them to know that I was even interested in
retroviruses. I did get some indirect help because the virus prep that I
used to find the enzyme came from an NIH repository that was probably
funded by the SVCP. I would doubt that Howard had any funding from them
because he was not "in the loop" at the time.
I did get a contract after I found the enzyme and that helped fund my work
for a number of years. During that time, I showed that the RT could copy
mRNA (the basis of a good part of the biotech industry) and I worked out
how best to assay the enzyme with an oligo deoxyribo primer and ribo
template. I also showed that dideoxys would inhibit the enzyme, the basis
for the all of the nucleoside RT inhibitors.
I'm not in San Diego with any free time for a while, but if you are around
here, see if my secretary can find an hour for us to talk.
David: Hi David, I'm trying to track down a small detail for my book, and
>1 don't know where to look other than to ask you directly. Was your work
>that led to the discovery of reverse transcriptase funded by NCI's
>Special Cancer Virus Program? Do you know if Temin's was? On another
>note, I'd much like to meet with you to talk about big picture stuff and
>to hear your thoughts about the argument that I'm making in my book. If
>you could spare an hour or so between now and December, I'd much
>appreciate it. I'm happy to come up to Caltech, or, if you're in San
>Diego, we could meet here. Many thanks, Jon Jon Cohen
>368 Stafford Ave.
>Cardiff, CA 92007
>Phone: [phone]
>Fax: [phone]
>Email: [email protected]

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