Congrats to Offspring frontman Dexter Holland, who is set to receive his Ph.D. today from the University of Southern California after finishing his dissertation in the field of Molecular Biology.

The vocalist revealed the news in a posting to fans, completing his longtime desire to get his doctorate. "My research focused on the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, the virus which causes AIDS. I am interested in virology and wanted to contribute in some small way to the knowledge which has been learned about HIV and AIDS. This terrible disease remains a worldwide epidemic -- over 35 million people worldwide are currently infected and living with the HIV virus. Over one million people a year die from this disease," stated Holland.

He adds that his research is not meant to be a cure or even a step toward a cure, but he reveals his desire to continue his research on the subject in the years to come.

As for what this means for The Offspring, Holland reveals that the band is definitely back on, with plans to continue recording and playing more shows around the world. See his full open letter below:

Hey everybody, Dexter here. Well we're gearing up for another busy year touring (and recording), and I can't wait. In fact I'm actually writing this from our tour stop in Charlotte, NC before our show here this weekend. I know I haven't posted much for awhile - cause I've been busy! This is sort of an announcement that I completed my dissertation defense and that means that I'll be graduating on May 11 with a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Southern California. You might ask, why are you getting a Ph.D.? Well, pick the correct answer from the choices below!

A) I was bored

B) I like suffering

C) I am interested in the molecular dynamics of HIV infection and of virus:host interactions in general No, the answer's not all three!...actually, as many of you already know I started the Ph.D. a long time ago but put it on hold when we started touring a lot. I finally went back a few years ago.To finish I had to research and write a thesis, or dissertation, which is kind of like the biggest term paper you'll ever do (mine is about 175 pages). My research focused on the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, the virus which causes AIDS.I am interested in virology and wanted to contribute in some small way to the knowledge which has been learned about HIV andAIDS.This terrible disease remains a worldwide epidemic - over 35 million people worldwide are currently infected and living with the HIV virus.Over one million people a year die from this disease. My research is not meant to be a cure or even an immediate step toward a cure, but I believe that by adding to the vast amount of information that we've learned about HIV in the last 30 years or so, we'll get there.Toward that end, I'm going to continue to do research, and you'll probably see some of my research papers get published here and there over the next few years. So, what does this all mean for the band? It means...the BAND IS BACK ON! Well, we never really stopped touring and making records, but we'll be doing a bunch of shows all around the world this year plus recording new stuff every chance we get. Look for new music by us out soon. See you on the road! Dexter.

Holland's thesis is titled "Discovery of Mature MicroRNASequences within the Protein-Coding Regions of Global HIV-1 Genomes: Predictions of Novel Mechanisms for Viral Infection and Pathogenicity." If you're interested in his research, you can take a closer look here.

As for the band's immediate tour plans, be sure to check out their upcoming dates at this location.

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