I debated for a long time whether this was awesome or not.  Actually more that it was awesome in a way that was appropriate for this blog. 

Final Decision: Awesome. 

I have many people close to me, not the least of whom is my aunt, that have been through a fight with breast cancer.  I decided that any breakthroughs, cosmetic or not, are pretty awesome. 

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine   researchers claim that a technique which uses tissue from those below-the-waist “love handles” improves cosmetic breast reconstruction in slim, athletic cancer patients without adequate fat sources elsewhere.

Also one of the study’s leader’s name is “Ariel N. Rad, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor”.  That’s right Professor Rad is helping breast cancer survivors recover from this horrible disease and obtain a sense of normalcy while at the same time get thinner and rebuild their breasts. 

Why did I even debate the awesomeness here? 

My alma mater, The Johns Hopkins Univ. is one of the finest medical institutions in the world… leave it to them to find that a common acne medication can be an effective tool in fighting AIDS and HIV.  In this article , scientists from Hopkins describe how minocycline can effectively target immune cells infected by the virus and prevent them from reactivating and replicating.

The research, to be published in the April edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, states that minocycline could improve on the current treatment regimens of HIV-infected patients if used in combination with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

“The powerful advantage to using minocycline is that the virus appears less able to develop drug resistance because minocycline targets cellular pathways not viral proteins,” study leader Professor Janice Clements  said.

“While HAART is really effective in keeping down active replication, minocycline is another arm of defense against the virus.”

Good work boys and girls.  Way to represent the HOP. I’m going to go ahead and assume the whole world is going to benefit from the continued tuition increases you force on your undergrads… now going above $40K/yr!!!

Normally I wouldn’t show you a Hopkins Lacrosse loss, especially one to ‘Cuse… but a ONE HANDED BTWN THE LEGS GOAL?  too much for me not to post.