Kyle J. Colonna, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Senior Epidemiologist
he/him
Dr. Colonna is a senior epidemiologist with expertise in environmental health, risk and decision sciences, and exposure assessment. At Gradient, he leverages his multidisciplinary expertise to assess human health risks from environmental contaminants. He has contributed to systematic reviews and regulatory comments on exposures to various metals, solvents, and air pollutants. Before joining Gradient, Dr. Colonna was a doctoral student at Harvard University’s School of Public Health, where he critically reviewed the literature regarding ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and mortality, analyzed the relationship between source apportioned PM2.5 and respiratory hospital visits in Kuwait, and assessed the performance of and designed COVID-19 forecasting models. Dr. Colonna also worked with the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology to assess environmental lead exposure and communicate local remediation efforts for low-income communities in West Philadelphia and Lancaster, PA. He has contributed to courses in risk assessment, exposure assessment, environmental health, and public health leadership.
Regulatory Comment: Reviewed agency documents on soil cleanup guidance for lead, evaluated assumptions used to derive guidance values, and conducted an independent modeling analysis.
Systematic Review: Systematically reviewed the epidemiology literature on mancozeb and cancer.
Review and Evaluation for California Proposition 65 Compliance: Reviewed agency documents and conducted a literature review, summarized lead and arsenic concentrations in products, and evaluated health risks.
Chemical Safety Assessment: Conducted blood lead modeling in support of a chemical safety report (CSR) submission under Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Exposure Assessment: Critically evaluated proposed methodology for assessing health impacts from long-term ambient PM2.5 exposure.
Epidemiology Study Review: Evaluated epidemiology studies on the relationship between trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride exposure and cancer outcomes and prepared multiple expert reports.
Colonna, KJ; Boomhower, SR. 2026. “An Epidemiologic Evaluation of Inorganic Arsenic Exposure and Teratogenic Effects.” Presented at the Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, San Diego, CA, March 24.
Boon, D; Marchitti, SA; Colonna, KJ; Chowdhury-Paulino, IM; Li, W; Berky, A; Restrepo, C; Jack, M; Goodman, JE. 2025. “Systematic review of nonsugar sweeteners and cancer epidemiology studies.” Adv. Nutr. 16(12):100527.
Colonna, KJ; Mattuck, RL; Boomhower, SR. 2025. “An Evaluation of Intermittent Lead Exposure in Children and Adults Using US EPA Blood Lead Models.” Presented at the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) 2025 Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, December 8.
Boon, D; Goodman, JE; Colonna, KJ; Espira, LM; Prueitt, RL. 2024. “A systematic review of the epidemiology evidence on talc and cancer.” Crit. Rev. Toxicol. 54(6):394-417.
Colonna, KJ; Alahmad, B; Choma, EF; Albahar, S; Al-Hemoud, A; Kinney, PL; Koutrakis, P; Evans, JS. 2023. “Acute exposure to total and source-specific ambient fine particulate matter and risk of respiratory disease hospitalization in Kuwait.” Environ. Res. 237(2):117070.
Colonna, KJ; Nane, GF; Choma, EF; Cooke, RM; Evans, JS. 2022. “A retrospective assessment of COVID-19 model performance in the USA.” R. Soc. Open Sci. 9(10):220021.