Dr. Borum currently teaches undergraduate biochemistry, graduate nutrition, and medical school clinical nutrition classes. Her translational science research program spans questions concerning biosynthesis, transport, and metabolic function of carnitine to the use of macronutrients to prevent and treat previously refractory neurological syndromes such as epilepsy. For more than two decades the Precision Ketogenic Therapy Program has combined precision nutrition with precision medicine for the individual patient.
Dr. Borum’s translational science research program focuses on the use of food as medicine. The basic science approach addresses populations with special nutrient needs with an emphasis on carnitine. For the past 40 years, her laboratory has conducted both basic research and clinical research to understand the biosynthesis, transport and function of carnitine during different stages of the life cycle and during different pathological conditions. Techniques include metabolomics and microbiomics. Dr. Borum has a Piglet Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that simulates a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and is used to study carnitine and Precision Ketogenic Therapy in neonatal piglets.
Currently her research group attends the University of Florida Pediatric Epilepsy Clinic and the Adult Epilepsy Clinic for patients receiving Precision Ketogenic Therapy for seizures and provides both metabolic assessments of the patients and educational material for the families. They are addressing the mechanism of action of the ketogenic therapy for seizures through clinical research and experimental animal research. Students can conduct transitional science research using a systems biology approach.
The interdisciplinary approach is reflected in the many different majors of undergraduate students working in the lab. Health Education and Behavior Internships and Computer & Information Science and Engineering Senior Projects are ongoing in the lab most semesters. Students break out of discipline silos to collaborate on real world problems.
Dr. Borum's teaching program focuses on the biochemical foundations of the metabolic status found in different physiological states and how an understanding of the biochemistry naturally leads to interventions to maintain health or to treat disease.
Undergraduate
- BCH 3025 – Fundamentals of Biochemistry (Fall, Spring, Summer of every year)
- ALS 4932 Foodomics: What is in the food we eat and use to treat patients? (Spring every year)
Graduate
- HUN 6301 - Nutritional Aspects of Lipid Metabolism (every Spring)
- HUN 6235 – Macronutrients in Human Nutrition (Team Taught Fall of odd years)
- HUN 6255 – Clinical Nutrition (every Spring)
- COM E 10, MDT 7090 - Clinical Nutrition for 4th Year Medical Students (Fall, Spring, Summer of every year)
Peggy R. Borum, Ph.D.