Amy Arnold

Amy Arnold, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at Penn State University College of Medicine. She is also affiliated with the Penn State Neuroscience Institute and the Center for Cannabis and Natural Product Pharmaceuticals (CCNPP). Her research focuses on understanding how the brain controls blood pressure and energy balance, with particular emphasis on angiotensin-(1-7) interactions with the brain to improve blood pressure and insulin sensitivity in cardiometabolic diseases.

Dr. Arnold's laboratory uses a variety of approaches including whole animal in vivo cardiovascular monitoring, pharmacologic and spectral analysis of autonomic function, and measurement of insulin action and energy balance. She also conducts translational studies examining the effects of intravenous angiotensin-(1-7) infusion on blood pressure and flow in patients with obesity, hypertension, and peripheral arterial disease.

Her research output shows a strong focus on cardiometabolic diseases, with recent publications examining neurocognitive disorders, atherosclerosis, obesity hypertension, and substance use disorders. The work spans basic science, translational research, and clinical applications, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to understanding cardiovascular and metabolic regulation.

• Junior Faculty Teaching Award (2021)
• Outstanding Early (Faculty) Career Development Award (2018)
• Samuel Hinkle Junior Faculty Research Award (2021)

Dr. Arnold serves as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded projects including 'Angiotensin-(1-7) and Cardiovascular Derangements in Obesity Hypertension' and 'Angiotensin-(1-7) and Hypothalamic control of blood pressure.' She holds leadership positions in professional societies including Secretary/Treasurer of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and serves on editorial boards for the American Journal of Hypertension and Physiological Genomics.

Her laboratory is actively engaged in studying cardiovascular autonomic disorders including primary autonomic failure, Parkinson's disease, and postural tachycardia syndrome, with particular focus on cognitive dysfunction in these conditions.