A Harvard professor turned down an offer from the Carter administration last month to be a contender for the office of director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Baruj Benacerraf, Fabyan Professor of Comparative Pathology at the Medical School, said yesterday he declined the offer because his commitments to research projects in pathology would not allow him to leave Harvard at the present time.

Benacerraf added he had also refused an earlier offer for the position last October when he was approached by officials of the Ford administration.

In the May 6 issue of Science magazine it is incorrectly reported that Benacerraf accepted the offer and is being considered for the post.