World AIDS Day

From: Wikipedia

" 'This is science fiction made reality. These researchers took a protein apart and removed the portion that causes harm, then stabilized and modified the section that has a therapeutic effect,' said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. 'Not only is this good news for people with AIDS, it's good news for all of us as this research paves the way for similar work for many, many other illnesses.'
The protein fragment is based on a naturally occurring protein called RANTES, which is part of the body's immune system. RANTES naturally defends the body against HIV/AIDS, but cannot be used as a drug or drug candidate because it has several other biological effects which could cause harmful inflammation. After examining the precise molecular structure of the RANTES protein, the researchers discovered that only a small fragment of the RANTES protein is actually responsible for blocking HIV entry into cells. From there, they dissected the desired section of the RANTES protein and worked to stabilize it without compromising its protective effects."
— Science Daily
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Here's a link to an interactive map of where the AIDs virus proliferates today...