Opinion: 50 years ago, my colleagues and I pursued basic research science that became revolutionary

September marked 50 years since my colleagues and I published a paper describing what became known as interleukin-2, or IL-2, one of the first cytokines to be discovered and a protein essential to the growth and regulation of T cells. Science marked that anniversary with a perspective by renowned immunologists Rafi Ahmed and Steven Rosenberg examining the discovery. Their perspective prompted me to reflect on a question I’ve been asked many times over the years: What has been IL-2’s greatest legacy?

My answer depends on how you define importance.

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