Dr. Kayla Penta, PhD
About Kayla Penta, PhD
Associate Professor of Basic Science, PBL Director – Elmira
Dr. Kayla Penta earned her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and completed postdoctoral training in nutrition with Dole and North Carolina State University. Her research has consistently focused on the impact of nutrition on human health and its long-term implications for disease prevention and management.
At LECOM, Dr. Penta has mentored students in a variety of research projects, including those focused on nutrition and diabetes, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Her current research efforts emphasize:
- Exploring the role of nutrition in both individual and community health
- Evaluating the role of nutritional education in medical training and its influence on future clinical practice
- Integrating food-as-medicine into community-based health initiatives
- Examining social determinants of health and their relationship to nutrition access and health outcomes