Hematopoiesis “awakens”: Evolving technologies, the force behind them

Amid the beauty of the Kyoto countryside, leaders in the field of hematology met at the 44th annual International Society for Experimental Hematology (ISEH) meeting in late September 2015. Led by ISEH President Paul Frenette and President-Elect David Traver, the meeting covered many aspects of hematopoiesis with a focus on technology. At the meeting, it became clear that the future of hematology is being shaped by innovations in single-cell “omics” and imaging approaches that will provide answers to age-old questions on cellular identity. In this meeting review, we highlight the advances presented in understanding the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche, heterogeneity, stress response, epigenetics, and how these processes change from birth to old age.