An interesting project, as reported by Mari-Len De Guzman in ComputerWorld, by Microsoft Research, the University of Washington in Seattle and Royal Perth Hospital in Australia using Microsoft tools for SPAM detection to find patterns in HIV, in order to develop more effective vaccines.

The great similarity between how spam works and how HIV cells mutate in the human body has allowed researchers to use Microsoft's machine-learning and data mining algorithms to analyze the genetic sequences of the virus. The purpose was to identify patterns within the genetic mutations of the virus and the patient's immune system, according to Schofield. These patterns are then used to create vaccine designs that have more HIV-fighting genetic markers.

I believe the tools and techniques to kill Spam will ultimately prove to be incredibly fertile ground for developing new methodologies and new techniques for data mining and pattern recognition, and into areas still unknown.

Speaking of Spam, as a product of the Islands of Spam, (full disclosure) I must admit I've always preferred Portuguese sausage, myself.