Student NameAnna Walls
Faculty Mentor NameDr. Peggy Borum
CollegeCollege of Agricultural and Life Sciences
MajorMicrobiology
Research InterestsAs someone who would like to pursue a medical career, I am especially interested in translational research. I proposed this research project because I would like to further explore some of the challenges that come with bringing PKT from a research setting to the routine clinic.
OrganizationsDance in a Suitcase
Hobbies and InterestsAs a cross country and track runner in high school, running continues to be one of my favorite hobbies.

Research Project

Precision Ketogenic Therapy Prescription Implementation Tools

The research conducted in Dr. Peggy Borum’s lab at the University of Florida is focused on Precision Ketogenic Therapy (PKT) as a treatment for epilepsy. PKT uses low carbohydrate, personalized recipes to provide the nutrient requirements of the patient with foods preferred by that individual. Many patients on PKT have experienced decreased seizure load. We are translating PKT from the research setting to the clinical setting. Clinicians and patients considering PKT often have two main concerns; PKT recipes are too time consuming to create, and the diet itself is too restrictive and boring to maintain long-term. My research project is focused on addressing these two concerns and will have two distinct parts. The aim of part one is to create PKT cookbooks that allow patients and clinicians to see the wide-range of recipes possible and can also serve as a template for clinicians to use when creating recipes for patients. Part two will be focused on timing how long it takes to create PKT recipes. This will help clinicians better understand the time requirements of administering PKT.