Dr. Kendall Smith Interview Episode 80

Thecuriousmanspodcast

Matt Crawford speaks with Dr. Kendall Smith about his book, The Interluken Revolution. Dr. Smith recaps his career, from medical school through a two-decade stint as a medical professor at Dartmouth in the 1970s and 1980s, in which he made pioneering contributions to immunology. The book dives deep into his research on T cells—immune cells that destroy pathogens and provide long-term immunity—and the role of interleukin-2, a protein that promotes T-cell growth. Smith’s narrative features scenes of exhilarating discovery in which experiments worked beautifully and he gradually conceived a vision of interleukins as a set of hormones meticulously regulating the immune system. An interesting read mixed with science and personal stories that is sure to entertain.