Bertie Early College High School Biotechnology Program Receives Donation

On July 21st, Mr. Mark Phillips, Statewide Operations Vice President of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, (right) traveled to Bertie Early College High School (BECHS) to deliver a donation to Mr. Bruce Boller (left). The check for $1,250.00 will be used to purchase equipment needed to continue the operations carried out by Mr. Boller’s students in the school’s biotechnology lab.

Mr. Boller’s biotechnology students are currently working to establish their own biotechnology company, Falcon Biomanufacturing. Students working in this program use recombinant bacteria to produce recombinant protein which, when optimized, will be sold to researchers at North Carolina State University and possibly others in the future. Through this work, students gain the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue educations and careers in the biology, microbiology and biotechnology fields.

Mr. Boller has been associated with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center for over twenty years and has partnered with them on several projects in the past. The biotechnology program at BECHS has benefited greatly from this partnership over the years through training workshops Mr. Boller has attended and from previous equipment donations.

Most recently, Mr. Phillips has attended the Annual Biotechnology Symposium held at BECHS each spring for the past few years where he was able to share his knowledge of biotechnology careers and educational/employment opportunities with our students as well as experience the work being carried out and presented by them.

In the future Mr. Boller plans to use Mr. Phillips’ many contacts within the biotechnology industry community to schedule video conferences with industry leaders and professionals from local industries as well as those across the state via the Internet.