Biographical Info

WEB: https://plantbiology.rutgers.edu/faculty/robson/mark_robson.html

Dr. Robson’s CV

Research Areas

I am an applied exposure scientist and toxicologist.  In my work I focus on the reduction and elimination of pesticide exposure to farmers and farm families particularly in rural areas in developing countries.  My focus has been to measure and assess exposure and train farmers and farm workers.  My interest in agriculture comes from growing up on a family fruit and vegetable farm in Burlington County New Jersey, my first degree was in agricultural science and this has been the platform for my research, teaching and service work.  I have worked in Eastern Europe, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.  In Southeast Asia, my research and training projects were supported with funds from the Asian Development Bank as well as NIH Fogarty D43 TW007849.  For a period of 20 years I have taught more than 700 students in the Environmental Risk Assessment course taught at Chulalongkorn University.  I have also established the Rutgers Thai Fogarty ITREOH Center at the College of Public Health Sciences at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.  There I have mentored 50 MPH and PhD students and have directly supported 26 students from seven countries with NIH Fogarty funds for their thesis research. Also as a result of teaching risk assessment classes at Rutgers and in developing countries I developed a textbook with Dr. William Toscano (University of Minnesota) titled: Environmental Health Risk Assessment for Public Health (2007) the second edition of the textbook in currently in revision and due out at the end of 2020.

Research Highlights

My research focus is on pesticide exposure to farmers and farm families in developing countries, the major platform for this is the NIH FIC Thai International Training and Research in Environmental and Occupational Health grant.

Scholarly Activities

• Thai FogartyI TREOH CenterGrant Number: D43 TW007849-01
• FogartyInternationalCenter- National Institutes of Health – NIEHS Principal Investigator
• US EPA Methane to Markets Partnership Grant Number XA-83444101-1Activities that Advance Methane Recovery and Use as a Clean Energy Source
• USEPA – Office of Atmospheric Programs Principal Investigator

NJAES Hatch and Multi-State Projects

• Project 2921 – Evaluating the Physical and Biological Availability of Pesticides and Contaminants in Agricultural Ecosystems and Project 3081 Agrochemical Impacts on Human and Environmental Health: Mechanisms and Mitigation

Recent Publications

Click here for additional publications by Dr. Robson.

1. Chaichana, T, Reeve, G, Piboonrungroj, P, Muangprathub, J, Kunno, J, Robson, MG, Drury, B. Data from a survey of coffee cultivation in lowland and highland areas to support agriculture during climate change. Data Brief. 2024;56 :110881. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110881. PubMed PMID:39286423 PubMed Central PMC11404076
2. Wren, M, Robson, M, Buckley, B. A Novel Biomonitoring Method to Detect Pyrethroid Metabolites in Saliva of Occupationally Exposed Workers as a Tool for Risk Assessment. Hum Ecol Risk Assess. 2024;30 (3-4):269-288. doi: 10.1080/10807039.2024.2329625. PubMed PMID:39221113 PubMed Central PMC11360145
3. Penjor, T, Gurung, MS, Robson, MG, Siriwong, W. Prevalence of Current Areca Nut Use and Its Associated Factors among Bhutanese Aged 15-69 Years: Analysis of the Nationally Representative STEPS Survey 2019. WHO South East Asia J Public Health. 2024;13 (1):35-39. doi: 10.4103/WHO-SEAJPH.WHO-SEAJPH_181_23. PubMed PMID:39167134
4. Rockafellow-Baldoni, M, Spayd, SE, Robson, MG. Microparticles of arsenic water treatment media and water softener resin observed in treated water at private wells. Water Environ Res. 2024;96 (6):e11067. doi: 10.1002/wer.11067. PubMed PMID:38866392
5. Kunno, J, Luangwilai, T, Pimviriyakul, P, Sematong, S, Supawattanabodee, B, Kuratong, S, Robson, MG. Active smoking in urban households: An association between urinary cotinine metabolite level and serum eGFR concentration. Tob Induc Dis. 2024;22 :. doi: 10.18332/tid/186071. PubMed PMID:38586496 PubMed Central PMC10996036
6. Kunno, J, Pimviriyakul, P, Luangwilai, T, Sematong, S, Supawattanabodee, B, Kuratong, S, Robson, MG. Effect of children secondhand smoke exposure associated with GABA concentration: Influence from parents who are extremely heavy smokers in urban households. Sci Total Environ. 2024;918 :170720. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170720. PubMed PMID:38325467
7. Mokarat, M, Lomthaisong, K, Robson, MG, Keithmaleesatti, S. Effects of blood mercury accumulation on DNA methylation levels in the Khorat snail-eating turtle (Malayemys khoratensis). Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2024;269 :115770. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115770. PubMed PMID:38043412
8. Minorczyk, M, Czaja, K, Starski, A, Korcz, W, Liszewska, M, Lewiński, R, Robson, MG, Postupolski, J, Struciński, P. Assessment of Furan and Its Derivatives Intake with Home Prepared Meals and Characterization of Associated Risk for Polish Infants and Toddlers. Foods. 2023;12 (19):. doi: 10.3390/foods12193618. PubMed PMID:37835270 PubMed Central PMC10572828
9. Rattanawitoon, T, Siriwong, W, Shendell, D, Fiedler, N, Robson, MG. An Evaluation of a Pesticide Training Program to Reduce Pesticide Exposure and Enhance Safety among Female Farmworkers in Nan, Thailand. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20 (17):. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20176635. PubMed PMID:37681775 PubMed Central PMC10487852
10. Sombatsawat, E, Luangwilai, T, Kaewchandee, C, Robson, MG, Siriwong, W. Impact of environmental heat exposure on the health status in farmworkers, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. 2023;74 (1):103-111. doi: 10.32394/rpzh.2023.0250. PubMed PMID:37013902