Scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), have identified 85 genes essential for fission yeast cells at rest, under nutritionally limited environmental conditions, to maintain their ability to return to the dividing mode. The study sheds light on the genetic network required for resting cells like cancer stem cells to reactivate, and has potential applications in developing new therapies to treat cancer. The study has been published in the journal Science Advances.