About

Susan Arnold, PhD, CIH, is an Associate Professor in Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Minnesota, affiliated with the Institute for Engineering in Medicine and Cancer Prevention and Control. Her research focuses on developing tools such as mathematical models and advancing quantitative and qualitative exposure assessment methods. These efforts aim to produce high-quality estimates of workers' exposures to chemicals, with the goal of preventing health hazards in the workplace from leading to illness or disease. Dr. Arnold's expertise contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Life Below Water. Her work integrates interdisciplinary approaches to occupational health, safety training, and exposure risk assessment, reflecting a commitment to improving workplace health outcomes through rigorous scientific methods and collaborative research.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Environmental engineering
• Chemistry
• Environmental science
• Toxicology
• Geology
• Internal medicine
• Oceanography
• Meteorology
• Environmental health
• Intensive care medicine
• Petroleum engineering
• Geography
• Environmental chemistry

Selected publications

• Dezentrale Aufgabenverteilung in Multi-Roboter-Systemen auf Basis des Contract Net Protocol

  2025-02-18

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Dieser Beitrag beschreibt die Umsetzung und experimentelle Validierung einer dezentralen, agentenbasierten Aufgabenverteilung für Multi-Roboter-Systeme auf Basis des Contract Net Protocol. Die dabei untersuchte Problemstellung ist die effiziente Durchführung einer Vielzahl von Transportaufträgen durch eine mobile Roboterflotte. Hierzu wurden dezidierte Änderungen am Contract Net Protocol eingeführt, mit dem Ziel die Optimalität der Auftragsverteilung zu verbessern. Die Umsetzung des entwickleten Algorithmus erfolgte in ROS2, die experimentellen Untersuchungen wurden mit Hilfe einer Flotte an TurtleBot3-Robotern durchgeführt.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• TMOD-45. Immune Competent Glioblastoma Models for Therapeutic Translation

  Neuro-Oncology · 2025-11-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Spontaneously arising canine high-grade gliomas (cHGG) offer a clinically relevant model for human glioblastoma, sharing conserved histopathological, genetic, and immunological traits. We established two cHGG cell lines and two canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (cAMSC) lines, and immune-competent 3D cHGG organoid models. Immunoblotting of cHGG cell lines showed that these models exhibit hallmark GBM features including SOX2, Nestin, GFAP, and activation of PI3K/AKT and p53 pathways. Given the established cytotoxic and differentiation-inducing effects of BMP4 in human GBM cell lines, we evaluated whether our canine glioma models recapitulate these responses to assess their translational relevance. BMP4 treatment of cHGG cells induced significant cytotoxicity and reduced migration, accompanied by downregulation of SOX2 and Nestin, upregulation of GFAP, and suppression of CDK6 and phospho-AKT—hallmarks of reduced stemness and astrocytic differentiation. In human-derived GBM cells, BMP4 enhanced radiosensitivity, likely via differentiation and depletion of therapy-resistant stem-like populations. Our cHGG models mirrored these molecular responses, suggesting a conserved BMP4 signaling axis in canine glioma. Quantitative phase imaging showed that BMP4 treatment was non-toxic to cAMSCs and did not impair their migration, supporting the feasibility of engineering cAMSC-BMP4 for therapeutic delivery. Observed molecular traits in canine and human gliomas—including mutually exclusive mutations in PDGFRA and PIK3CA, and shared expression of TP53, PTEN, p21, Rb1, mTOR, and MAPK—underscore the translational relevance of the cHGG model. High-content imaging further confirmed expression of p-AKT, p53, MDM2, and CD44 in cHGG lines, reinforcing activation of conserved gliomagenic pathways. To complement these findings, we developed a cHGG 3D organoids from freshly resected tumors, that recapitulate tumor heterogeneity with co-localized GFAP+/Nestin+ glioma cells, CD3+ infiltrating T cells, macrophages and cleaved caspase-3+ apoptotic cells, indicating active immune surveillance and ongoing programmed cell death. Our results support canine GBM model as a platform to assess glioma biology, cell therapy, and modeling immune engagement in a species-relevant, physiologically intact environment for streamlined translation of therapeutics to human clinical trials.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Oxcarbazepine and Its Active Metabolite 10-Monohydroxy Derivative to Inform Dosing in Children with Obesity

  Clinical Pharmacokinetics · 2025-11-17

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Oxcarbazepine (OXZ) is an antiepileptic drug whose pharmacological effect is primarily mediated by its active metabolite, 10-monohydroxy derivative (MHD). OXZ is approved for use in adults and children older than 2 years with an age- and body weight-tiered dosing recommendation, but dosing guidance for children with obesity is lacking. OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to assess the dosing requirements of OXZ in children with obesity to support label extension. METHODS: Two multicenter studies (NCT01431326 and NCT02993861) were conducted in patients receiving standard-of-care OXZ therapy. Participants ≥ 2 years of age with a body mass index ≥ 95th percentile were classified as obese. Plasma concentrations were measured by a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay. Nonlinear mixed effects modeling was performed using NONMEM 7.4 to characterize the population pharmacokinetics of OXZ and MHD simultaneously. Simulations were performed to compare MHD systemic exposure in children ≥ 2 years of age with and without obesity. RESULTS: One hundred study participants with a median (range) age of 9 years (44 days-20.90 years) contributed 425 plasma concentrations of OXZ (n = 212) and MHD (n = 213). Fifty-two percent of the participants had obesity. A one-compartment joint parent-metabolite model with linear input-output and bi-directional transformation between OXZ and MHD best characterized the pharmacokinetics. Body size was the only covariate affecting pharmacokinetics, and a fat-free mass-based metric termed pharmacokinetic weight (PKWT) best characterized that effect allometrically. Simulation results revealed that the current dosing regimen of OXZ can produce comparable exposure of MHD in children ≥ 2 years of age with and without obesity. CONCLUSION: A model-informed analysis confirms that the current pediatric dosing regimen of OXZ applies to children in general, regardless of their obesity status.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Investigating antineoplastic drug surface contamination in veterinary settings and on canine patients

  Annals of Work Exposures and Health · 2025-09-05

  article

  Antineoplastic drugs can persist on surfaces in human and veterinary oncology clinics where they are administered, resulting in potentially hazardous exposures for healthcare workers and cancer patient caregivers. To assess potential surface contamination in occupational settings, a new liquid chromatography-selected reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry (LC-SRM-MS/MS) method was developed to simultaneously detect six commonly used antineoplastic drugs. A surface wipe and desorption method was optimized for cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, methotrexate, etoposide, paclitaxel, and 5-fluorouracil with drug desorption recoveries ranging from 49% to 79%. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) ranged from 0.01 to 0.12 ng/ml and 0.01 to 1.33 ng/ml, respectively. This method was used to quantify cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin surface contamination from wipe samples collected at a veterinary clinic following drug administration to canine-patients. Specific areas in the oncology treatment room identified as frequently contacted were sampled to determine the antineoplastic drug surface contamination that could lead to worker exposure through dermal contact, with cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin levels ranging from 6.68 to 17.4 pg cm-2 and 13.5 to 40.3 pg cm-2. Additionally, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin wipe samples (n = 50) were obtained from two kennel surfaces and 10 canine-patients after chemotherapy. Samples were collected from the patients' coats before leaving the clinic and day after in the home environment to investigate the potential for dogs to be a source of household contamination. Cyclophosphamide was identified in samples collected at home in 4/5 canine-patients at levels ranging from 2.61 to 368 ng/sample, while doxorubicin was identified on kennel surfaces wiped post-treatment at levels ranging from 3.53 to 1655 pg cm-2. These findings support the ability of this method to detect contamination of these drugs in both occupational clinics and homes. The results set the stage for investigating contamination levels in various settings, such as human and veterinary clinics and home environments, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of decontamination products and protocols toward reducing workplace and environmental exposures.

  PublisherDOI

• Micro-environmental factors impact breathing zone exposures: A simulated petrochemical manufacturing facility task

  Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health · 2024-01-02

  article

  This study investigates the impact of micro-environmental factors on worker breathing zone exposure levels in petrochemical facilities. A laboratory simulation study evaluated near-field exposure to methane for a typical maintenance task. Individual and combinations of micro-environmental factors significantly affected methane exposure. Airflow direction and speed were significant determinants of exposure concentration reduction. A side airflow direction at medium to high speed produced the lowest gas concentration in the breathing zone. Worker body orientation relative to the methane emission point was also a critical factor affecting gas concentration in the worker's breathing zone. The study provides insights into how variations in airflow and small changes in position impact near-field exposures for petrochemical tasks, guiding industrial hygiene professionals' training on qualitative exposure estimation and providing input for near-field exposure modeling to guide quantitative exposure and risk assessment.

  PublisherDOI

• Face anthropometry for filtering facepiece respirators: analysis of the association between facial dimensions and respirator fit

  Annals of Work Exposures and Health · 2024-02-16 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  OBJECTIVE: Ensuring proper respirator fit for individuals remains a persistent challenge in occupational environments, yet there is limited knowledge about how respirators interact with the face to "'fit." Previous studies have attempted to understand the association between face dimensions and respirator fit using traditional head/face anthropometry not specifically tailored for respirators. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the ability of filtering facepiece respirator (FFR)-specific face anthropometry with traditional head/face anthropometry in exploring the relationship between facial dimensions and the fit of FFR. METHODS: The study utilized 3D face scans and quantitative fit factor scores from 56 participants to investigate the relationship between face anthropometry and FFR fit. Both FFR-specific and traditional anthropometric measurements were obtained through 3D anthropometric software. Intra-correlation of anthropometry was analyzed to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of FFR-specific and traditional anthropometry respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to test the usefulness of the PCA method for investigating various facial features. Logistic regression was used to develop fit association models by estimating the relationship between each face measurement set and the binary outcome of the fit test result. The prediction accuracy of the developed regression models was tested. RESULTS: FFR-specific face anthropometry consists of a set of measurements that can inform the detailed facial shape associated with the FFRs more effectively than traditional head/face anthropometry. While PCA may have been effective in reducing the variable dimensions for the relatively large parts of the human body such as upper and lower bodies in previous literature, PCA results of FFR-specific and traditional anthropometry were inconsistent and insufficient to describe face dimensions with complex anatomy in a small-detailed area, suggesting that facial shape should be understood through a variety of approaches including statistical methods. Logistic regression analysis results confirmed that the association models of FFR-specific face anthropometry were significant with higher prediction accuracy and had a better model's goodness of fit than those of traditional head/face anthropometry in 3 conditions inputting all measurements, all PC scores, or top 5 measurements from PCA. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed that the FFR fit association model enables an understanding of the detailed association between face and respirator fit and allows for the development of a system to predict respirator fit success or failure based on facial dimensions. Future research would include testing the validity of the model and FFR-specific measurement set on different respirator types, expanding the population set, and developing an integrated approach using automated and machine learning technologies to inform FFR selection for occupation workers and the general population.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 244 Implementing changes to protect workers from exposures to hazardous drugs

  Annals of Work Exposures and Health · 2024-06-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract Hazardous drugs (HD) present a complex exposure problem within healthcare facilities whereby nursing, pharmacy and other staff are chronically exposed to low-levels of HDs via contaminated surfaces throughout pharmacies and clinical settings. Many of these drugs are designated as ALARA substances (reproductive toxins and/or carcinogens); exposures to unknown mixtures or cleaning agent reaction by-products may also occur but have been poorly characterized. There is a lack of health-based surface-OELs against which to benchmark exposures. Despite increased awareness of HD exposures and promotion of safe handling measures, surface levels of HD have plateaued over the last decade. New, collaborative approaches are needed to reduce environmental contamination of HD that contribute to exposures among healthcare workers and staff. We introduce a new approach involving a broad, collaborative, system-wide program based on social dialogue models that brings all parties (e.g., employees/unions, employers, scientists and regulators) together to work on a common goal (e.g., HD exposure reduction) in a collaborative manner that is evidence-based (e.g., surveillance data) that have been successfully implemented in Europe, and an embedded quantitative exposure assessment strategy that uses “hygienic guidance values” (HGV) in the absence of surface OELS. This HGV-based surveillance strategy provides key operational details to the user and also provides target performance levels (through HGV rather than OELs). This approach offers support for a quantified ALARA response, as an HGV approach can encourage measured and continual improvement (i.e., exposure reductions) over time, and centers on a continuous improvement paradigm.

  PublisherDOI

• Application of Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Characterize the Effects of Age and Obesity on the Disposition of Levetiracetam in the Pediatric Population

  Clinical Pharmacokinetics · 2024-05-30 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Comparing Antoine parameter sources for accurate vapor pressure prediction across a range of temperatures

  Annals of Work Exposures and Health · 2024-03-04 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Determining the vapor pressure of a substance at the relevant process temperature is a key component in conducting an exposure assessment to ascertain worker exposure. However, vapor pressure data at various temperatures relevant to the work environment is not readily available for many chemicals. The Antoine equation is a mathematical expression that relates temperature and vapor pressure. The objective of this analysis was to compare Antoine parameter data from 3 independent data sources; Hansen, Yaws, and Custom data and identify the source that generates the most accurate vapor pressure values with the least bias, relative to the referent data set from the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Temperatures predicted from 3 different Antoine sources across a range of vapor pressures for 59 chemicals are compared to the reference source. The results show that temperatures predicted using Antoine parameters from the 3 sources are not statistically significantly different, indicating that all 3 sources could be useful. However, the Yaws dataset will be used in the SDM 2.0 because the data is readily available and robust.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Risk assessment methods in occupational health and hygiene: a scoping review

  Annals of Work Exposures and Health · 2024-11-19 · 3 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  BACKGROUND: There are a variety of risk assessment methods to evaluate occupational hazards in the field of industrial hygiene. With the development of emerging technologies in the workforce, the previously established risk assessment methods may need to be adapted or new methods developed to address the risk of new hazards. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted consistent with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Data was extracted and analyzed using a matrix method before undergoing a narrative synthesis. Risk assessment methods were classified as traditional and nontraditional. RESULTS: Seventy-nine articles were included in this scoping review, with 81% using traditional risk assessment methods and 19% using nontraditional methods. DISCUSSION: Among the nontraditional methods was control banding, with the most recent applications focused on nanomaterials. This approach, which was borne out of the need for a systematic approach for identifying potential health risks that required the use of engineering controls to be used safely, may have an important role in the area of emerging technologies, where the pace of technological innovation outstrips the rate at which health risks can be assessed and characterized. Risk assessment methods with the capacity to look at groups of similar chemicals and chemical mixtures are needed to address emerging hazards associated with emerging technologies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• The Interdisciplinary Training, Education and Research Activities for Assessing and Controlling Contaminants from Emerging Technologies (InTERACCT) Program

  NIH · $1.1M · 2021–2026

Frequent coauthors

• Drew Thodeson

  The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

  24 shared

• Tareq Hussein

  22 shared

• Gurumurthy Ramachandran

  Johns Hopkins University

  22 shared

• A Kothandaraman

  University of Milan

  20 shared

• Lawrence S. Engel

  19 shared

• Jason Y. Park

  The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

  18 shared

• Jeffrey A. SoRelle

  The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

  17 shared

• Lorenza Tacchini

  IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano

  16 shared

Awards & honors

• Fellow, American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2014
• Member, Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health