Citation | Adrian Hayday first described the structure and usage of the wholly unanticipated T cell receptor gamma genes, prefacing the identification of gamma delta T cells. His unprecedented demonstration that the cells naturally limit carcinogenesis underpins their ongoing clinical application. His discovery of the cells’ innate-like responsiveness to tissue perturbation contrasted starkly with textbook T cell biology, pre-empting today’s acceptance of “innate lymphocytes”, and revising perspectives on atopy. And his developmental studies have now discovered how discrete gamma delta compartments are shaped by different epithelia employing novel, tissue-restricted butyrophilin-like genes, underscoring the unique biology and clinical relevance of gamma delta cells. |