About ICF
Robyn Blain
Technical Director, Toxicology, Systematic Reviews
Robyn is a toxicology expert with nearly 20 years of experience conducting systematic reviews for numerous agencies.
Robyn has completed several assignments for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences using multiple systematic review tools. She has also been involved in several work assignments for the National Center for Environmental Assessment, including authoring Provisional Toxicity Values in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Program and several Integrated Risk Information System Toxicological Reviews. In addition, Robyn has been involved in evaluating studies for chemical registration under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals regulation. She also helped develop robust study summaries in the International Uniform Chemical Information Database 5, and prepare toxicological assessments for several chemicals.
Robyn has conducted multiple literature reviews and has been involved in the production and testing of two relational retrieval databases. She has extensive experience with in vivo toxicological experimentation and has published several articles and book chapters on various topics including systemic review and hormesis.
Areas of expertise
Education
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Ph.D., Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
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M.S., Public Health, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Publications
- Pelch, K., Wignall, J.A., Goldstone, A.E., Ross, P.K., Blain, R.B., Shapiro, A.J., Holmgrenc, S.D., Hsieha, J-H., Svobodad, D., Auerbacha, S.S., Parham, F.M., Mastena, S.A., Walker, V., Rooney, A., Thayer, K.A. (2019). A scoping review of the health and toxicological activity of bisphenol A (BPA) structural analogues and functional alternatives. Toxicology. 424: 1 August 2019, 152235.
- Morgan, R,L., Thayer, K.A., Santesso, N., Holloway, A.C., Blain, R., Eftim, S.E., Goldstone, A.E., Ross, P., et al. (2019). A risk of bias instrument for non-randomized studies of exposures: A users' guide to its application in the context of GRADE. Environ Int. 122:168-184.
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Morgan, R.L., Thayer, K.A., Santesso, N., Holloway, A.C., Blain, R., Eftim, S.E., Goldstone, A.E., Ross, P., Guyatt, G., & Schünemann, H.J. (2018). Evaluation of the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) and the 'target experiment' concept in studies of exposures: Rationale and preliminary instrument development. Environ Int. 120:382-387.|doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.08.018.
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Walker, V.R., Boyles, A.L., Pelch, K.E., Holmgren, S.D., Shapiro, A.J., Blystone, C.R., Devito, M.J., Newbold, R.R., Blain. R., Hartman, P., Thayer, K.A., & Rooney, A.A. (2018). Human and animal evidence of potential transgenerational inheritance of health effects: An evidence map and state-of-the-science evaluation. Environ Int.|115:48-69. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.12.032.
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Boyles, A.L., Blain, R.B., Rochester, J.R., Avanasi, R., Goldhaber, S.B., McComb, S., Holmgren, S.D., Masten, S.A., Thayer, K.A. (2017). Systematic review of community health impacts of mountaintop removal mining. Environ Int. 107:163-172.|doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.07.002.
- Taylor, K. W., Howdeshell, K. L., Bommarito, P. A., Sibrizzi, C.A., Blain, R.B., Magnuson, K., Lemeris, C., Tracy, W., Baird, D.D., Jackson, C. L., Gaston, S. A., Rider, C. V., Walker, V. R., and Rooney, A. A. (2023). Systematic evidence mapping informs a class-based approach to assessing personal care products and pubertal timing. Environment International 181,
- Howdeshell, K. L., Beverly, B. E. J., Blain, R. B., Goldstone, A. E., Hartman, P. A., Lemeris, C. R., Newbold, R. R., Rooney, A. A, and Bucher, J. R, (2023). Evaluating endocrine disrupting chemicals: A perspective on the novel assessments in CLARITY-BPA. Birth Defects Research, Record online: 30 August 2023.
- Carlson, L. M., Christensen, K., Sagiv, S. K., Rajan, P., Klocke, C. R., Lein, P. J., Coffman, E., Shaffer, R. M., Yost, E. E., Arzuaga, X., Factor-Litvak, P., Sergeev, A., Toborek, M., Bloom, M. S., Trgovcich, J., Jusko, T. A., Robertson, L., Meeker, J. D., Keating, A. F., Blain, R., … Lehmann, G. M. (2023). A systematic evidence map for the evaluation of noncancer health effects and exposures to polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures. Environmental research, 220, 115148.
- Carlson, L. M., Angrish, M., Shirke, A. V., Radke, E. G., Schulz, B., Kraft, A., Judson, R., Patlewicz, G., Blain, R., Lin, C., Vetter, N., Lemeris, C., Hartman, P., Hubbard, H., Arzuaga, X., Davis, A., Dishaw, L. V., Druwe, I. L., Hollinger, H., Jones, R., … Thayer, K. A. (2022). Systematic EMap for Over One Hundred and Fifty Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). Environmental health perspectives, 130(5), 56001.
- Thayer, K. A., Angrish, M., Arzuaga, X., Carlson, L. M., Davis, A., Dishaw, L., Druwe, I., Gibbons, C., Glenn, B., Jones, R., Phillip Kaiser, J., Keshava, C., Keshava, N., Kraft, A., Lizarraga, L., Persad, A., Radke, E. G., Rice, G., Schulz, B., Shaffer, R. M., … Vetter, N. (2022). Systematic evidence map (SEM) template: Report format and methods used for the US EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program, Provisional Peer Reviewed Toxicity Value (PPRTV) program, and other "fit for purpose" literature-based human health analyses. Environment international, 169, 107468.
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Blain, R. (2021). Thallium. In G.F. Nordberg, B.A. Fowler, and M. Nordberg (Eds.), Handbook on the toxicology of metals, fifth edition.
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Boyd, W. A., Blain, R. B., Skuce, C. R., Thayer, K. A., & Rooney, A. A. (2020). NTP Research Report on the Scoping Review of Paraquat Dichloride Exposure and Parkinson’s Disease: Research Report 16. National Toxicology Program.
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Boyd, W. A., Boyles, A. L., Blain, R. B., Skuce, C. R., Engstrom, A. K., Walker, V. R., Thayer, K. A., & Rooney, A. A. (2020). NTP Research Report on the Scoping Review of Potential Human Health Effects Associated with Exposures to Neonicotinoid Pesticides: Research Report 15. National Toxicology Program.
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Jett, D.A., Sibrizzi, C.A., Blain, R.B., Hartman, P.A., Lein, P.J., Taylor, K.W., Rooney, A.A.(2020) A national toxicology program systematic review of the evidence for long-term effects after acute exposure to sarin nerve agent. Crit Rev Toxicol. Jul;50(6):474-490. doi: 10.1080/10408444.2020.1787330.
