The 54th Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Experimental Hematology (ISEH 2025) was held from September 24–27, 2025, in Kumamoto, Japan, bringing together leading global experts in hematology to discuss cutting-edge advances in basic hematology, immunology, stem cell research, and cell and gene therapy. One of the major highlights of the event was the Sino-Japanese Joint Symposium on Stem Cells and Cellular Therapy, which drew wide attention. At the symposium, Professor Fumio Arai from Kyushu University, Japan, delivered an insightful presentation titled “Signaling networks governing hematopoietic stem cell quiescence.” In this interview, Oncology Frontier – Hematology Frontier invited Professor Arai to discuss the role of signaling networks in maintaining stem cell function and their potential in clinical applications.