A Nature study identified two genes that govern CD8+ T‑cell fate and suggest levers to boost killer T‑cell durability and function in cancer, while UCLA researchers reported an engineered invariant NKT cell design as an optimal off‑the‑shelf immunotherapy approach for solid tumors. Both studies provide mechanistic blueprints for next‑generation cell therapies and off‑the‑shelf immune products aimed at overcoming current limitations in durability and solid‑tumor efficacy.