John Manak, Professor of Biology, was recently honored with a Friend of Systems Unlimited Award. Dr. Manak was recognized for his advocacy work on behalf of the disabilities community in the class he teaches for the spring semester, Good Genes Gone Bad (BIOL:2120). In this course, Dr. Manak brings individuals from the Systems Unlimited community into his classroom to discuss living with their disabilities in an effort to not only raise awareness of the many issues confronting the disabilities community, but also to encourage an engaging and uplifting dialog between students and the guests. In this introductory general education course, students from a wide array of majors learn about genetic disorders and human disease genetics in easy-to-understand language, with a focus on celebrities affected with genetic disorders such as Lil Wayne, Celine Dion, Kate Hudson, and others. Dr. Manak, whose laboratory studies human genetic disorders, was recognized with this award at the Systems Unlimited annual awards ceremony on May 1, 2026. Systems Unlimited is a non-profit organization serving people of all ages with disabilities and mental health needs in Eastern Iowa.