What have stem cell research and business data processing in common? At present very little, apart from the fact that “agent based software development”, a novel way of writing software, could be a key to progress in both fields.

Stem cells are the master cells of the animal body; starting from a state of undifferentiation they have the ability to become any one of the dozens of cell types from which the body is constructed. They are difficult to study alive, however, and dead cells, sliced thinly and stained to reveal their internal structure, can provide only so much information.