Irradiation-induced lymphopenia promotes effector T-cell survival via IL-15 signaling the STAT5/Bcl2 pathway, enhances T-cell memory formation via IL-15 activation of the forkhead-box family of transcription factor (FOXO)/eomesodermin (Eomes) memory and ULK1/autophagy-related gene-7 (ATG7) autophagy pathways, and via IL-15 activation of the mitochondrial remodeling. Here, EOMES is linked to lymphopenia.