Joshua Robinson, PhD
Associate Professor
Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Sciences
School of Medicine

During human pregnancy, the embryo/fetus is exposed to thousands of unique environmental chemicals with unknown consequences. My research aims to determine the potential effects of these compounds and to identify the mechanistic links between environmental exposures in utero and adverse developmental outcomes (e.g., neurodevelopmental disorders, neural tube defects, placental diseases).

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To study these relationships, we employ three model systems: human embryonic stem cells, rodent whole embryo culture, and primary human trophoblasts. We combine classical molecular, genomic, morphological/imaging, and in silico based approaches to conduct in-depth chemical assessments and to determine modes of action. Our current investigations are focused on evaluating the effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)—commonly used flame retardants—and their alternatives on human pregnancy (in vitro). Additional research projects in the lab include: 1) establishing alternative model systems for developmental toxicology; 2) identifying human biomarkers of response; 3) developing strategies to integrate diverse toxicogenomic data; and 4) characterizing age-dependent differences in human xenobiotic metabolism. We anticipate that this research—which coalesces elements of developmental toxicology, genomics, and risk assessment—will lead to the discovery of gene-environment interactions underlying toxicity, and future prevention of specific chemical exposures that occur during human pregnancy.

Awards

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• F. Clarke Fraser Early Investigator Award, Society of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, 2020
• Hellman Award for Early-Career Faculty, Hellman Foundation, 2019
• Angelo Furgiele Young Investigator Technology Award, Society of Toxicology, 2018
• Elsevier Award, Best Paper in Reproductive Toxicology, European Teratology Society, 2017
• K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, NIH/NIEHS, 2014-2018
• Best Paper in Toxicological Sciences (Repro/Dev), Society of Toxicology, 2013
• Marie Taubeneck Award, Teratology Society, 2011

Education & Training

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• Postdoctoral Human Biology University of California 2016
• Postdoctoral Bioinformatics National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) 2012
• PhD Developmental Toxicology University of Washington 2008
• MS Developmental Toxicology University of Washington 2005

Interests

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• Genomics
• Neuroscience
• Stem Cell Biology
• Placental Biology
• Developmental Toxicology
• Bioinformatics

Grants and Projects

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• Delineating mechanisms underlying azole-induced developmental toxicity using single cell transcriptomic approaches, genome editing tools, and alternative models, NIH/NIEHS, 2022-2026
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Effects on Human Neuronal Development, NIH, 2016-2020
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Effects on Human Neuronal Development, NIH, 2014-2016

Publications (70)

Top publication keywords:
PlacentaHalogenated Diphenyl EthersToxicogeneticsEctogenesisEmbryo, MammalianTranscriptomeTrophoblastsFlame RetardantsEmbryonic DevelopmentNeurulationTeratogensMethylmercury CompoundsToxicity TestsGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalAlkanesulfonic Acids

• Real world perspectives on endometriosis disease phenotyping through surgery, omics, health data, and artificial intelligence.
  npj women's health 2025 Nezhat CR, Oskotsky TT, Robinson JF, Fisher SJ, Tsuei A, Liu B, Irwin JC, Gaudilliere B, Sirota M, Stevenson DK, Giudice LC
• Non-Targeted Analysis of Environmental Contaminants and Their Associations with Semen Health Factors in Men from New York City.
  Environment & health (Washington, D.C.) 2024 Johnson TA, Adelman S, Najari BB, Robinson JF, Kahn LG, Abrahamsson D
• Analyzing high-throughput assay data to advance the rapid screening of environmental chemicals for human reproductive toxicity.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2024 Varshavsky JR, Lam J, Cooper C, Allard P, Fung J, Oke A, Kumar R, Robinson JF, Woodruff TJ
• Placental Malaria Induces a Unique Methylation Profile Associated with Fetal Growth Restriction.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024 Ozarslan N, Mong C, Ategeka J, Li L, Buarpung S, Robinson JF, Kizza J, Kakuru A, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, Gaw SL
• Gravidity influences distinct transcriptional profiles of maternal and fetal placental macrophages at term.
  Frontiers in immunology 2024 Ozarslan N, Robinson JF, Buarpung S, Kim MY, Ansbro MR, Akram J, Montoya DJ, Kamya MR, Kakuru A, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, Cheng G, Feeney ME, Fisher SJ, Gaw SL

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• RosetteArray® Platform for Quantitative High-Throughput Screening of Human Neurodevelopmental Risk.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024 Lundin BF, Knight GT, Fedorchak NJ, Krucki K, Iyer N, Maher JE, Izban NR, Roberts A, Cicero MR, Robinson JF, Iskandar BJ, Willett R, Ashton RS
• Rapid identification of reproductive toxicants among environmental chemicals using an in vivo evaluation of gametogenesis in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2024 Kumar R, Oke A, Rockmill B, de Cruz M, Verduzco R, Shodhan A, Woodruff-Madeira X, Abrahamsson DP, Varshavsky J, Lam J, Robinson JF, Allard P, Woodruff TJ, Fung JC
• Analyzing high-throughput assay data to advance the rapid screening of environmental chemicals for human reproductive toxicity.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024 Varshavsky JR, Lam J, Cooper C, Allard P, Fung J, Oke A, Kumar R, Robinson JF, Woodruff TJ
• Screening and characterization of 133 physiologically-relevant environmental chemicals for reproductive toxicity.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2024 Ulaganathan G, Jiang H, Canio N, Oke A, Armstrong SS, Abrahamsson D, Varshavsky JR, Lam J, Cooper C, Robinson JF, Fung JC, Woodruff TJ, Allard P
• High rates of placental inflammation among samples collected by the Multi-Omics for Mothers and Infants consortium.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2024 Robinson JF, Das S, Khan W, Khanam R, Price JT, Rahman A, Ahmed S, Ali SM, Deb S, Deveale B, Dutta A, Gormley M, Hall SC, Hasan ASMT, Hotwani A, Juma MH, Kasaro MP, Khalid J, Kshetrapal P, McMaster MT…
• Screening and characterization of 133 physiologically-relevant environmental chemicals for reproductive toxicity.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024 Ulaganathan G, Jiang H, Canio N, Oke A, Armstrong SS, Abrahamsson D, Varshavsky JR, Lam J, Cooper C, Robinson JF, Fung JC, Woodruff TJ, Allard P
• Perfluorooctanoic acid induces transcriptomic alterations in second trimester human cytotrophoblasts.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2023 Chen H, Kapidzic M, Gantar D, Aksel S, Levan J, Abrahamsson DP, Jigmeddagva U, Basrai S, San A, Gaw SL, Woodruff TJ, Fisher SJ, Robinson JF
• Distinct transcriptional profiles of maternal and fetal placental macrophages at term are associated with gravidity.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2023 Ozarslan N, Robinson JF, Buarpung S, Kim MY, Ansbro MR, Akram J, Montoya DJ, Kamya MR, Kakuru A, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, Cheng G, Feeney ME, Fisher SJ, Gaw SL
• Minimal mRNA uptake and inflammatory response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental explants.
  iScience 2023 Gonzalez VJ, Li L, Buarpung S, Prahl M, Robinson JF, Gaw SL
• Proteomic analyses of primary human villous trophoblasts exposed to flame retardant BDE-47 using SWATH-MS.
  Toxicology 2023 Chen H, Williams KE, Kwan EY, Kapidzic M, Puckett KA, San A, Fisher SJ, Robinson JF
• Retrospective analysis of wildfire smoke exposure and birth weight outcomes in the San Francisco Bay Area of California.
  Environmental research, health : ERH 2023 Fernández ACG, Basilio E, Benmarhnia T, Roger J, Gaw SL, Robinson JF, Padula AM
• Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention 2022-2027 strategic plan.
  Birth defects research 2023 Makris SL, Beyer BK, DeLise A, Williams AL, Roberts LG, Hardy JR, Robinson JF, Feldkamp ML
• Minimal mRNA uptake and inflammatory response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental explants.
  medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences 2023 Gonzalez V, Li L, Buarpung S, Prahl M, Robinson JF, Gaw SL
• A science-based agenda for health-protective chemical assessments and decisions: overview and consensus statement.
  Environmental health : a global access science source 2023 Woodruff TJ, Rayasam SDG, Axelrad DA, Koman PD, Chartres N, Bennett DH, Birnbaum LS, Brown P, Carignan CC, Cooper C, Cranor CF, Diamond ML, Franjevic S, Gartner EC, Hattis D, Hauser R, Heiger-Bernays …
• Current practice and recommendations for advancing how human variability and susceptibility are considered in chemical risk assessment.
  Environmental health : a global access science source 2023 Varshavsky JR, Rayasam SDG, Sass JB, Axelrad DA, Cranor CF, Hattis D, Hauser R, Koman PD, Marquez EC, Morello-Frosch R, Oksas C, Patton S, Robinson JF, Sathyanarayana S, Shepard PM, Woodruff TJ
• Gestational age-dependent decrease in fetal Hofbauer cells in placentas from pregnancies exposed to wildfire smoke in California.
  medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences 2023 Basilio E, Ozarslan N, Buarpung S, Benmarhnia T, Padula AM, Robinson JF, Gaw SL
• Wildfire Smoke Exposure during Pregnancy: A Review of Potential Mechanisms of Placental Toxicity, Impact on Obstetric Outcomes, and Strategies to Reduce Exposure.
  International journal of environmental research and public health 2022 Basilio E, Chen R, Fernandez AC, Padula AM, Robinson JF, Gaw SL
• Modeling the transplacental transfer of small molecules using machine learning: a case study on per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).
  Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology 2022 Abrahamsson D, Siddharth A, Robinson JF, Soshilov A, Elmore S, Cogliano V, Ng C, Khan E, Ashton R, Chiu WA, Fung J, Zeise L, Woodruff TJ
• Associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their mixture with oxidative stress biomarkers during pregnancy.
  Environment international 2022 Taibl KR, Schantz S, Aung MT, Padula A, Geiger S, Smith S, Park JS, Milne GL, Robinson JF, Woodruff TJ, Morello-Frosch R, Eick SM
• Neutralizing antibody activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in gestational age-matched mother-infant dyads after infection or vaccination.
  JCI insight 2022 Matsui Y, Li L, Prahl M, Cassidy AG, Ozarslan N, Golan Y, Gonzalez VJ, Lin CY, Jigmeddagva U, Chidboy MA, Montano M, Taha TY, Khalid MM, Sreekumar B, Hayashi JM, Chen PY, Kumar GR, Warrier L, Wu AH, …
• Integrated analysis of transcriptomic datasets to identify placental biomarkers of spontaneous preterm birth.
  Placenta 2022 Sobhani NC, Mernoff R, Abraha M, Okorie CN, Marquez-Magana L, Gaw SL, Robinson JF
• Global proteomic analyses of human cytotrophoblast differentiation/invasion.
  Development (Cambridge, England) 2021 Chen H, Williams KE, Kwan EY, Kapidzic M, Puckett KA, Aburajab RK, Robinson JF, Fisher SJ
• Organophosphate Flame Retardants, Highly Fluorinated Chemicals, and Biomarkers of Placental Development and Disease During Mid-Gestation.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2021 Varshavsky JR, Robinson JF, Zhou Y, Puckett KA, Kwan E, Buarpung S, Aburajab R, Gaw SL, Sen S, Gao S, Smith SC, Park JS, Zakharevich I, Gerona RR, Fisher SJ, Woodruff TJ
• Human placental cytotrophoblast epigenome dynamics over gestation and alterations in placental disease.
  Developmental cell 2021 Zhang B, Kim MY, Elliot G, Zhou Y, Zhao G, Li D, Lowdon RF, Gormley M, Kapidzic M, Robinson JF, McMaster MT, Hong C, Mazor T, Hamilton E, Sears RL, Pehrsson EC, Marra MA, Jones SJM, Bilenky M, Hirst M…
• Cytotrophoblast extracellular vesicles enhance decidual cell secretion of immune modulators via TNFα.
  Development (Cambridge, England) 2020 Taylor SK, Houshdaran S, Robinson JF, Gormley MJ, Kwan EY, Kapidzic M, Schilling B, Giudice LC, Fisher SJ
• Differences in cytochrome p450 enzyme expression and activity in fetal and adult tissues.
  Placenta 2020 Robinson JF, Hamilton EG, Lam J, Chen H, Woodruff TJ
• Racial/ethnic and geographic differences in polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels across maternal, placental, and fetal tissues during mid-gestation.
  Scientific reports 2020 Varshavsky JR, Sen S, Robinson JF, Smith SC, Frankenfield J, Wang Y, Yeh G, Park JS, Fisher SJ, Woodruff TJ
• Up-regulated cytotrophoblast DOCK4 contributes to over-invasion in placenta accreta spectrum.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2020 McNally L, Zhou Y, Robinson JF, Zhao G, Chen LM, Chen H, Kim MY, Kapidzic M, Gormley M, Hannibal R, Fisher SJ
• Retinoids and developmental neurotoxicity: Utilizing toxicogenomics to enhance adverse outcome pathways and testing strategies.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2020 Chen H, Chidboy MA, Robinson JF
• Association of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels with biomarkers of placental development and disease during mid-gestation.
  Environmental health : a global access science source 2020 Varshavsky JR, Robinson JF, Zhou Y, Puckett KA, Kwan E, Buarpung S, Aburajab R, Gaw SL, Sen S, Smith SC, Frankenfield J, Park JS, Fisher SJ, Woodruff TJ
• Trisomy 21 is Associated with Caspase-2 Upregulation in Cytotrophoblasts at the Maternal-Fetal Interface.
  Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) 2020 Leon-Martinez D, Robinson JF, Zdravkovic T, Genbacev O, Gormley M, Mcmaster M, Fisher SJ, Bianco K
• Circulating Monocytes, Tissue Macrophages, and Malaria.
  Journal of tropical medicine 2019 Ozarslan N, Robinson JF, Gaw SL
• Using a Multi-Stage hESC Model to Characterize BDE-47 Toxicity During Neurogenesis.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2019 Chen H, Seifikar H, Larocque N, Kim Y, Khatib I, Fernandez CJ, Abello N, Robinson JF
• Genomic Profiling of BDE-47 Effects on Human Placental Cytotrophoblasts.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2019 Robinson JF, Kapidzic M, Hamilton EG, Chen H, Puckett KW, Zhou Y, Ona K, Parry E, Wang Y, Park JS, Costello JF, Fisher SJ
• Convergence of placenta biology and genetic risk for schizophrenia.
  Nature medicine 2018 Ursini G, Punzi G, Chen Q, Marenco S, Robinson JF, Porcelli A, Hamilton EG, Mitjans M, Maddalena G, Begemann M, Seidel J, Yanamori H, Jaffe AE, Berman KF, Egan MF, Straub RE, Colantuoni C, Blasi G, …
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hydroxylated PBDE metabolites (OH-PBDEs) in maternal and fetal tissues, and associations with fetal cytochrome P450 gene expression.
  Environment international 2018 Zota AR, Mitro SD, Robinson JF, Hamilton EG, Park JS, Parry E, Zoeller RT, Woodruff TJ
• Transcriptional Dynamics of Cultured Human Villous Cytotrophoblasts.
  Endocrinology 2017 Robinson JF, Kapidzic M, Gormley M, Ona K, Dent T, Seifikar H, Hamilton EG, Fisher SJ
• A genomics-based framework for identifying biomarkers of human neurodevelopmental toxicity.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2016 Robinson JF, Gormley MJ, Fisher SJ
• Rbpj links uterine transformation and embryo orientation.
  Cell research 2014 Robinson JF, Fisher SJ
• Valproic acid-induced gene expression responses in rat whole embryo culture and comparison across in vitro developmental and non-developmental models.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2013 Tonk EC, Robinson JF, Verhoef A, Theunissen PT, Pennings JL, Piersma AH
• Toxicogenomic approaches in developmental toxicology testing.
  Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 2013 Robinson JF, Piersma AH
• Complementary detection of embryotoxic properties of substances in the neural and cardiac embryonic stem cell tests.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2012 Theunissen PT, Pennings JL, van Dartel DA, Robinson JF, Kleinjans JC, Piersma AH
• Dose-response analysis of phthalate effects on gene expression in rat whole embryo culture.
  Toxicology and applied pharmacology 2012 Robinson JF, Verhoef A, van Beelen VA, Pennings JL, Piersma AH
• Dose response analysis of monophthalates in the murine embryonic stem cell test assessed by cardiomyocyte differentiation and gene expression.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2012 Schulpen SH, Robinson JF, Pennings JL, van Dartel DA, Piersma AH
• Triazole induced concentration-related gene signatures in rat whole embryo culture.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2012 Robinson JF, Tonk EC, Verhoef A, Piersma AH
• Compound-specific effects of diverse neurodevelopmental toxicants on global gene expression in the neural embryonic stem cell test (ESTn).
  Toxicology and applied pharmacology 2012 Theunissen PT, Robinson JF, Pennings JL, van Herwijnen MH, Kleinjans JC, Piersma AH
• A comparison of gene expression responses in rat whole embryo culture and in vivo: time-dependent retinoic acid-induced teratogenic response.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2012 Robinson JF, Verhoef A, Pennings JL, Pronk TE, Piersma AH
• Transcriptomic analysis of neurulation and early organogenesis in rat embryos: an in vivo and ex vivo comparison.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2012 Robinson JF, Verhoef A, Piersma AH
• A review of toxicogenomic approaches in developmental toxicology.
  Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 2012 Robinson JF, Pennings JL, Piersma AH
• Transcriptomic concentration-response evaluation of valproic acid, cyproconazole, and hexaconazole in the neural embryonic stem cell test (ESTn).
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2011 Theunissen PT, Robinson JF, Pennings JL, de Jong E, Claessen SM, Kleinjans JC, Piersma AH
• Comparison of MeHg-induced toxicogenomic responses across in vivo and in vitro models used in developmental toxicology.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2011 Robinson JF, Theunissen PT, van Dartel DA, Pennings JL, Faustman EM, Piersma AH
• Time-response evaluation by transcriptomics of methylmercury effects on neural differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2011 Theunissen PT, Pennings JL, Robinson JF, Claessen SM, Kleinjans JC, Piersma AH
• Gene set assembly for quantitative prediction of developmental toxicity in the embryonic stem cell test.
  Toxicology 2011 Pennings JL, van Dartel DA, Robinson JF, Pronk TE, Piersma AH
• Cadmium induced p53-dependent activation of stress signaling, accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, and apoptosis in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2011 Yu X, Sidhu JS, Hong S, Robinson JF, Ponce RA, Faustman EM
• Discriminating classes of developmental toxicants using gene expression profiling in the embryonic stem cell test.
  Toxicology letters 2010 van Dartel DA, Pennings JL, Robinson JF, Kleinjans JC, Piersma AH
• Integrating genetic and toxicogenomic information for determining underlying susceptibility to developmental disorders.
  Birth defects research. Part A, Clinical and molecular teratology 2010 Robinson JF, Port JA, Yu X, Faustman EM
• Arsenic- and cadmium-induced toxicogenomic response in mouse embryos undergoing neurulation.
  Toxicology and applied pharmacology 2010 Robinson JF, Yu X, Moreira EG, Hong S, Faustman EM
• Embryotoxicant-specific transcriptomic responses in rat postimplantation whole-embryo culture.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2010 Robinson JF, van Beelen VA, Verhoef A, Renkens MF, Luijten M, van Herwijnen MH, Westerman A, Pennings JL, Piersma AH
• A systems-based approach to investigate dose- and time-dependent methylmercury-induced gene expression response in C57BL/6 mouse embryos undergoing neurulation.
  Birth defects research. Part B, Developmental and reproductive toxicology 2010 Robinson JF, Guerrette Z, Yu X, Hong S, Faustman EM
• Methylmercury induced toxicogenomic response in C57 and SWV mouse embryos undergoing neural tube closure.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2010 Robinson JF, Griffith WC, Yu X, Hong S, Kim E, Faustman EM
• Toxicogenomic profiling in maternal and fetal rodent brains following gestational exposure to chlorpyrifos.
  Toxicology and applied pharmacology 2010 Moreira EG, Yu X, Robinson JF, Griffith W, Hong SW, Beyer RP, Bammler TK, Faustman EM
• A system-based comparison of gene expression reveals alterations in oxidative stress, disruption of ubiquitin-proteasome system and altered cell cycle regulation after exposure to cadmium and methylmercury in mouse embryonic fibroblast.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2010 Yu X, Robinson JF, Sidhu JS, Hong S, Faustman EM
• Embryonic toxicokinetic and dynamic differences underlying strain sensitivity to cadmium during neurulation.
  Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 2009 Robinson JF, Yu X, Hong S, Zhou C, Kim N, DeMasi D, Faustman EM
• Cadmium-induced differential toxicogenomic response in resistant and sensitive mouse strains undergoing neurulation.
  Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2008 Robinson JF, Yu X, Hong S, Griffith WC, Beyer R, Kim E, Faustman EM
• Gene expression profiling analysis reveals arsenic-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in p53-proficient and p53-deficient cells through differential gene pathways.
  Toxicology and applied pharmacology 2008 Yu X, Robinson JF, Gribble E, Hong SW, Sidhu JS, Faustman EM