Biology junior Meredith Ware proved she is more than just an athlete in the Honors College’s undergraduate research fair. | Courtesy of UH.edu

When biology junior Meredith Ware wasn’t on the volleyball court this summer, she was counting fly eggs, up to 3,500 to be exact.

Ware’s evolutionary biology professor Tony Frankino recruited her to be a part of his team that summer conducting research on chemotherapeutics.

After being awarded the Provost Undergraduate Research Scholarship, Ware spent the next seven months identifying the cause of progressive cell resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs, specifically Rampamycin, by testing it on the common fruit fly.

“I have always been interested in research,” Ware said. “When I took my human physiology class, my professor pointed out how much we don’t know about science, and that struck my interest.

“I was like wait, we know this happens, but we don’t know why? Now, every time I go to take two Advil, I want to know why it happens,” Ware said. “I have just developed this strong desire to know why things happen.”

Last week, the California native had the opportunity to share and present her research at the Spring Academic Showcase, an event in the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library exhibiting undergraduate research.

Since the showcase, Ware says she has been hungry for more research opportunities.

“I am looking into getting into a lab this summer. After this presentation, I’m on kind of a research high,” Ware said.

“I know whatever I do in the future, I want to incorporate research whether I do it myself or I’m just trying to work with the new treatments that are coming out.”

Once Ware hangs up her volleyball jersey for good and switches over to a white lab coat, the Commissioner’s honor roll member and the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal recipient hopes to work in pediatrics specializing in nephrology or oncology.

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