My laboratory is striving to understand how lymphocyte receptors are triggered, including the immune checkpoints. It had been John who suggested, in one of his undergraduate classes, that all biochemistry students should read 'The Double Helix' by JD Watson. I read it and learnt two things: the thrill of discovery and that, when it really counts, it's not about where you're from but simply a matter of how good your ideas are versus the next person's. Under John's influence I developed an abiding interest in the cell surface and became particularly impressed by the pioneering work of Alan Williams and Neil Barclay on the T-cell surface at the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) Cellular Immunology Unit in Oxford.