Folding@home
This link leads to a distributed computing program (it's homepage) that is setting out to work on cancer and parkinsons and sh[b][/b]it. I'm tired, or I'd give a more flowing description of it. Its run by stanford, and is completely computer safe.
I started an Asylum team, if anyone is interested. If you opt in, enter 46968 in the team # box when you configure.