Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Luria, Salvador; Luria, Zella: 1975

Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg did plasmid and other aspects of the genetics of various strains of Escherichia coli including K-12. However, Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg also did genetic research of Salmonella typhimurium including research collaboration with such people as B. A. D. Stocker and S. Cohen (see Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg's published papers). Other researchers who Esther M. Zimmer knew well who specialized in similar investigations included the following:
Relevant papers with their references include the following:
  1. Salvador Luria and Esther at home: October 18, 1975
  2. Salvador Luria, Esther, and Zella Luria at Esther's home: October 18, 1975
  3. Zella Luria, Barbara Dornburch and Sandy Dornburch at Esther's home, October 18, 1975
  4. Salva and Zella Luria at 1345 Cowper Street
         Palo Alto, California, Wednesday, October 1, 1975

Salvador Luria ("Lu" to Esther Lederberg) was a friend of Joshua Lederberg. However, their attitudes towards the humanities might be said to be diametrically opposed.

As a Jew, Salvador Luria was barred by Mussolini from leaving Fascist Italy. Luria escaped to Paris from Italy in 1938. Upon the NAZI invasion of France in 1940, he fled Paris to Marseille by bicycle, emigrating to the United States. Upon entry to the U.S., he received a recommendation from Enrico Fermi to study at Columbia University.

As a Jew confronting anti-Semitism, and as an opponent of Fascism, Salvador Luria's views about the importance of the humanities were well-formed. In 1985 he said scientists who "exile themselves from the arena of social struggles" were failing the societies they were supposed to serve. As Dr. Luria said in 1985, "I made up my mind that as a citizen I would be an active participant in American politics, taking advantage of the democratic opportunities that were not available to me in Italy." Dr. Luria opposed oppression and was openly critical of both the American intervention in Vietman and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. As a consequence of his outspoken independence, in 1969 (the same year he was co-awarded a Nobel prize) Dr. Luria was briefly placed on a Federal blacklist of 48 scientists, created by the National Institutes of Health (parent body of the NLM).

Salvador Luria's views towards the humanities and their immediate relevance to political affairs, contrasts sharply with the views and work of Joshua Lederberg. Joshua Lederberg made every effort not to oppose McCarthyism, and every effort to support the U.S. government, no matter how questionable those policies might have been. Joshua Lederberg's views towards the humanities were strongly supported by his great weakness in these areas (based upon his own stated views of his strengths and weaknesses). Others who knew Joshua Lederberg held less kind opinions.