Daily blood cell production is guaranteed throughout life by a hierarchy with haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) at its root. HSC are very different from other haematopoietic cell types and have unique functional properties, such as their infrequent division (quiescence) and their capacity to give rise to all blood cell types. By using genome-wide profiling and functional assays, the Laurenti laboratory aims to identify the molecular networks at play in human HSC. Our team are particularly interested in defining how the quiescent status of HSC is maintained. We also aim to identify the functional and molecular changes triggered by the stresses that these cells are exposed to, both physiologically and in pathological conditions. As perturbation of HSC regulatory networks drives the first steps of leukaemia, knowledge of HSC specific molecular responses will prove important to design novel therapies against haematopoietic disease.