Michael Kowalski

Kowalski's "Genetic Analysis of an Endangered Sunflower" program will be his students' first introduction to bioinformatics and ethical issues associated with biotechnology. He saw an opportunity to expose his North Mecklenburg High School students to the rapidly growing biotechnology industry, and to jog their thinking about this field as a future career option. This project will focus on the genetic analysis of the endangered Schweinitz's Sunflower, which is very rare in the United States and is only found in the Charlotte area. Through DNA extractions and screenings, students will be able to locate micro-satellite markers. This technique is most commonly used in forensic science to determine "genetic fingerprints". The students' findings will produce real contributions to the biochemistry field while laying the foundation for a creative and exciting career path. Kowalski resides in Charlotte.