Natalie Eichner, MD, PhD, MEd

Natalie Eichner

Undergraduate School
University of Virginia

Graduate School
University of Virginia

Medical School
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
 

Interests and Career Goals

I have an interest in child and adolescent psychiatry, as well as reproductive psychiatry. Prior to medical school, I conducted research in metabolism, nutrition and exercise physiology and hope to continue this line of research in my future career. I am passionate about using exercise as medicine and want to better understand the interactions between commonly prescribed psychiatric treatments (medication, psychotherapy, ECT) with diet and exercise.  In the future, I hope to open an integrative multidisciplinary clinic for children that incorporates research with clinical practice.

Favorite Pastimes

Spending time with my daughter and husband; going for walks outdoors; listening to podcasts; roasting coffee beans; reading historical fiction; Peloton workouts 

Strengths of the Program

The strength of this program for me was the people. Dr. Vestal and the entire department are warm, friendly, and engaging.  I wanted to train at a place where everyone is passionate about psychiatry, as well as curious to learn more. The clinical training at various locations combined with the research opportunities available are unparalleled.

Areas of Prior Research

Exercise is medicine, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, extracellular vesicles

Publications/Abstracts

  • Eichner NZM, Gilbertson NM, Heiston EM, Gaitan JM, Musante L, LaSalvia S, Weltman A, Erdbrugger U, Malin SK. Diminished cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with higher microparticle counts in obese adults. Physiological Reports, 2018.
  • Eichner NZM, Erdbrugger U, Malin SK. Extracellular Vesicles: A Novel Target for Exercise-Mediated Reductions in Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Journal of Diabetes Research, 2018.
  • Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Francois M, Gaitan JM, Heiston EM, Weltman A, Malin SK. Glucose tolerance is linked to fuel use independent of exercise dose. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2018.
  • Francois M, Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Heiston EM, Mehaffey H, Hassinger T, Hallowell P, Malin SK. Combining short-term interval training with caloric restriction improves ß-cell function in obese adults. Nutrients, 2018
  • Malin SK, Francois M, Eichner NZM, Gilbertson NM, Heiston EM, Fabris C, Breton M. Impact of short-term exercise training intensity on β-cell function in prediabetes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2018.
  • Eichner NZM, Khurshid M, Gaitan JM, Gilbertson NM, Weltman A, Malin SK. Exercise training reduces postprandial arterial stiffness in adults with prediabetes independent of intensity. Experimental Physiology, 2018.
  • Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Heiston EM, Gaitan JM, Francois M, Mehaffey J, Hassinger T, Hallowell P, Weltman A, Malin SK. A low calorie diet with or without interval exercise training improves adiposopathy in obese women. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, 2018.
  • Heiston EM, Eichner NZM, Gilbertson NM, Kranz S, Weltman A, Malin SK. Two weeks of exercise training intensity on appetite regulation in obese adults with prediabetes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2019.
  • Eichner NZM, Gilbertson NM, Musante L, La Salvia S, Weltman A, Erdbrugger U, Malin SK. An oral glucose load decreases postprandial extracellular vesicles in obese adults with and without prediabetes. Nutrients, 2019.
  • Gaitan JM, Eichner NZM, Gilbertson NM, Barrett EJ, Weltman A, Malin SK. Short-term interval training increases fat utilization during exercise in adults with prediabetes. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 2019.
  • Gilbertson NM, Miller S, Eichner NZM, Malin SK. Endothelial function following interval exercise plus low-calorie diet treatment in obese females. Physiological Reports, 2019.
  • Eichner NZM, Gilbertson NM, Musante L, La Salvia S, Weltman A, Erdbrugger U, Malin SK. Interval exercise lowers plasma CD105 extracellular vesicles in adults with prediabetes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2019.
  • Malin SK, Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Heiston EM, Miller S, Weltman A. Impact of Short-term Continuous and Interval Training on Endothelial Function and Glucose Metabolism in Prediabetes. Journal of Diabetes Research, 2019.
  • Heiston EM, Eichner NZM, Gilbertson NM, Malin SK. Exercise Improves Adiposopathy, Insulin Sensitivity and Metabolic Syndrome Severity Independent of Exercise Intensity.
    Experimental Physiology, 2020.
  • Malin SK, Heiston EM, Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM. Interval exercise suppresses acylated ghrelin and hunger during caloric restriction in obese women. Physiology & Behavior, 2020.
  • Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Khurshid M, Rexrode E, Kranz S, Weltman A, Hallowell P, Malin SK. Impact of Pre-Operative Aerobic Exercise on Cardiometabolic Health and Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery. Frontiers in Physiology, 2020.
  • Modesitt S, Eichner NZM, Penberthy K, Horton B, Stewart M, Lacy R, Weltman A. Moving Away from Cancer exercise trial in female rural cancer survivors: how can we step it up? JCO Oncology Practice, 2020.
  • Heiston EM, Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Malin SK. A low-calorie diet with or without exercise reduces post-prandial aortic waveform in females with obesity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2020.
  • Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Gaitan JM, Khurshid M, Rexrode E, Kranz S, Hallowell P, Malin SK. Effect of Pre-Surgical Aerobic Exercise on Cardiometabolic Health 30 Days After Bariatric Surgery. Physiological Reports, 2021.
  • Jahn, L, Logan B, Love K, Horton W, Eichner NZM, Hartline L, Weltman A, Barrett EJ. Nitric Oxide-Dependent Micro-and Macro-Vascular Dysfunction Occurs Early in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes. AJP Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2022.
  • Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Gaitan JM, Pirtle JM, Kirby J, Upchurch C, Leitinger N, Malin SK. Impact of a Short-Term Low-Calorie Diet Alone or with Interval Exercise on Quality of Life and Oxidized Phospholipids in Obese Females. Physiology & Behavior, 2022.
  • Magee, S… Eichner NZM. The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a substantial rise in frequency and severity of presentation of youth-onset Type 2 diabetes. The Journal of Pediatrics, 2022.
  • Eichner-Seitz NM, Pate R, Paul I.  Physical Activity in Infancy and Early Childhood: A Narrative Review of Interventions for Prevention of Obesity and Associated Health Outcomes. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2023.
  • Eichner NZM, Zu QM, Granados A, Berry N, Sudip S. Factors That Predict Compliance in a Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. International Journal of Cardiology, 2023.

Poster Presentations

  • Gilbertson, NM, Eichner NZM, Rexrode E, Kranz S, Weltman A, Hallowell P, Malin SK.
    Effect of pre-operative aerobic exercise on surgical outcomes and cardiometabolic health in bariatric surgery patients. (2020). American College of Sports Medicine. San Francisco, California.
  • Eichner NZM, Carlisle K, Sell SL, Aliu E, Gordon PL. Further defining the phenotype of children with 20q13.33 microdeletions utilizing a case report with a smaller deletion and additional clinical findings. (2020). American Society of Human Genetics. Virtual.
  • Carlisle K, Eichner NZM, Aliu E, Gordon PL. Further defining the phenotypic presentation of TRAF7gene mutations: a case report of an adult presenting with psychiatric symptoms. (2020). American Society of Human Genetics. Virtual.
  • Long N, Eichner NZM, Benavides-Vasquez J, Huerta Saenz LP. Approaching high-metabolic risk youth during a pandemic: severe presentations of new onset type 2 diabetes. (2021). Endocrine Society. Virtual.
  • Siddiqi H, Ho L, Eichner NZM, Holland J. The impact of telemedicine on the LIC student learning experience and development of clinical skills. CLIC Conference. (2021). Consortium of Longitudinal Integrative Clerkships. Virtual.
  • Irritability in Children with Mood Disorders: Improving Assessment Practices in Pediatrics and Psychiatry. Natalie Eichner and Lisa Ho. Kaiser Permanente MAPMG Continuing Medical Education. November 3, 2021.
  • Eichner NZM, Granados A, Saha SK.  Factors that predict compliance in a virtual cardiac rehabilitation program. (2022). American College of Cardiology. Washington D.C.
  • Gustaffson S, Eichner NZM, Saha SK, Berry N. Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic and Telemedicine on Cardiac Rehabilitation Compliance (2022). American Heart Association.
  • Ramirez-Rivera R, Hyzsco A, Eichner NZM, Allen N, Benavides-Vasquez J, Huerta Saenz LP.  Cardio-Metabolic Profiles of Youth with New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes during the COVID-19 Pandemic. (2022). AACE Cardiometabolic. San Antonio, TX.
  • Free M, Eichner NZM, Yadav S. Persistent "ego death" and derealization following dextromethorphan intoxication treated with quetiapine. (2023). American Psychiatric Association. San Francisco, CA.
  • Huerta-Saenz L, Ramirez-Rivera R, Allen N, Eichner N, Benavides J, Hunselman A, Chinchilli V, Joseph J, Hale D. Metabolic Decompensation, Cardiometabolic Profile and SVI of Youth Newly Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic. (2023). Pediatric Endocrine Society. San Diego, CA.
  • Eichner-Seitz N, Hernandez E, Master L, Buxton O, Savage J, Paul I. Males Engage in Greater Physical Activity at Age 6 Years in the INSIGHT Study. (2023). Pediatric Academic Society. Washington D.C.