Stem cell research holds great promise for therapeutic applications. This rapidly advancing field is the focus of the biennial international symposium and workshop whose proceedings are contained within this volume.

The major topics covered are stem cell function, including self-renewal, survival, migration, and regulation; the stem cell niche; stem cell fate as lineage commitment takes place; malignant hematopoiesis; hematopoiesis regulators; and embryonic stem cells and plasticity.

As with previous volumes in this unique series of proceedings, it is hoped that further cooperation and collaborative projects will be generated by disseminating these presentations widely.

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