Onur Cil, MD, PhD

Dr. Onur Cil is a pediatric nephrologist and physician-scientist. Cil Lab’s research focus is small molecule drug discovery and drug repurposing for treatment of renal, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases. Ultimate goal of our research is advancing our discoveries to clinical trials and establishing better and safer treatments. Our research is focused on membrane proteins including calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), SLC26A3 (DRA), SLC26A4 (Pendrin), SLC26A6 (PAT1), CFTR, TMEM16A and urea transporters.
Education
M.D., - Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University
Residency, - Pediatrics, Hacettepe University
Ph.D., - Pharmacology, Hacettepe University
Fellowship, - Pediatric nephrology, University of California, San Francisco
Honors and Awards
  • Stephanie Watts Career Development Award, American Heart Association, 2020
Websites

  1. Lindgren ES, Yan R, Kuo YM, Gao Q, de Souza Goncalves L, Chen FY, Chan MF, Verkman AS, Cil O, Pasricha ND. Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 3 (LPAR3) regulates ocular surface chloride transport via calcium signaling. Experimental eye research 2025. PMID: 40112945


  2. Touhara KK, Rossen ND, Deng F, Castro J, Harrington AM, Chu T, Garcia-Caraballo S, Brizuela M, O'Donnell T, Xu J, Cil O, Brierley SM, Li Y, Julius D. Topological segregation of stress sensors along the gut crypt-villus axis. Nature 2025. PMID: 39939779


  3. Master RJ, Karmakar J, Haggie PM, Anthony-Tan J, Chu T, Verkman AS, Anderson MO, Cil O. High potency 3-carboxy-2-methylbenzofuran pendrin inhibitors as novel diuretics. European journal of medicinal chemistry 2024. PMID: 39642691


  4. Qi Gao, Onur Cil. Magnesium Supplementation Reduces Vascular Calcification by Activating Calcium-Sensing Receptor (CaSR) in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2024. PMID:


  5. Gao Q, Cil O. Magnesium for disease treatment and prevention: emerging mechanisms and opportunities. Trends in pharmacological sciences 2024. PMID: 39019764


  6. Sarthi JB, Trumbull AM, Abazari SM, van Unen V, Chan JE, Jiang Y, Gammons J, Anderson MO, Cil O, Kuo CJ, Sellers ZM. DRA involvement in linaclotide stimulated bicarbonate secretion during loss of CFTR function. JCI insight 2024. PMID: 38869953


  7. Pasricha ND, Lindgren ES, Yan R, Kuo YM, Chan M, Verkman AS, Chu T, Yottasan P, de Souza Goncalves L, Cil O. Calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) modulates ocular surface chloride transport and its inhibition promotes ocular surface hydration. The ocular surface 2024. PMID: 38871216


  8. Livia de Souza Goncalves, Qi Tifany Chu, Qi Gao, Onur Cil. 702 MAGNESIUM IS THE MAJOR ACTIVATOR OF CALCIUM-SENSING RECEPTOR IN THE INTESTINE AND ITS SUPPLEMENTATION CAN TREAT SECRETORY DIARRHEA. Gastroenterology 2024. PMID:


  9. Touhara KK, Rossen ND, Deng F, Chu T, Cil O, Li Y, Julius D. Crypt and Villus Enterochromaffin Cells are Distinct Stress Sensors in the Gut. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024. PMID: 38370814


  10. Sarthi JB, Trumbull AM, Abazari SM, van Unen V, Chan JE, Jiang Y, Gammons J, Anderson MO, Cil O, Kuo CJ, Sellers ZM. Key role of down-regulated in adenoma (SLC26A3) chloride/bicarbonate exchanger in linaclotide-stimulated intestinal bicarbonate secretion upon loss of CFTR function. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024. PMID: 37205513


  11. Ahmadi M, de Souza Goncalves L, Verkman AS, Cil O, Anderson MO. Substituted 4-methylcoumarin inhibitors of SLC26A3 (DRA) for treatment of constipation and hyperoxaluria. RSC Medicinal Chemistry 2024. PMID: 38784456


  12. Lindgren ES, Yan R, Cil O, Verkman AS, Chan MF, Seitzman GD, Farooq AV, Huppert LA, Rugo HS, Pohlmann PR, Lu J, Esserman LJ, Pasricha ND. Incidence and Mitigation of Corneal Pseudomicrocysts Induced by Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs). Current Ophthalmology Reports 2024. PMID: 38756824


  13. de Souza Goncalves L, Chu QT, Master R, Chhetri PD, Gao Q, Cil O. Mg2+ supplementation treats secretory diarrhea in mice by activating calcium-sensing receptor in intestinal epithelial cells. The Journal of clinical investigation 2023. PMID: 37962961


  14. Yottasan P, Chu T, Chhetri PD, Cil O. Repurposing calcium-sensing receptor activator drug cinacalcet for ADPKD treatment. Translational research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine 2023. PMID: 37990828


  15. Pattareeya Yottasan, Tifany Chu, Parth D. Chhetri, Onur Cil. Repurposing calcium-sensing receptor activator drug cinacalcet for ADPKD treatment. Translational Research 2023. PMID:


  16. Chu T, Karmakar J, Haggie PM, Tan JA, Master R, Ramaswamy K, Verkman AS, Anderson MO, Cil O. Selective isoxazolopyrimidine PAT1 (SLC26A6) inhibitors for therapy of intestinal disorders. RSC Medicinal Chemistry 2023. PMID: 37974969


  17. Chu T, Yottasan P, Goncalves LS, Oak AA, Lin R, Tse M, Donowitz M, Cil O. Calcium-sensing receptor activator cinacalcet for treatment of cyclic nucleotide-mediated secretory diarrheas. Translational research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine 2023. PMID: 37678755


  18. de Souza Goncalves L, Yottasan P, Cil O. Structure of human NCC: insights into the inhibition mechanism of thiazides. Signal transduction and targeted therapy 2023. PMID: 37394514


  19. Sadiq S, Urisman A, Cil O. Case report: Short-term eculizumab use in atypical HUS associated with Lemierre's syndrome and post-infectious glomerulonephritis. Frontiers in medicine 2023. PMID: 37206472


  20. Cil O, Anderson MO, de Souza Goncalves L, Tan JA, Haggie PM, Verkman AS. Small molecule inhibitors of intestinal epithelial anion exchanger SLC26A3 (DRA) with a luminal, extracellular site of action. European journal of medicinal chemistry 2023. PMID: 36724632


  21. Gefen AM, Sethna CB, Cil O, Perwad F, Schoettler M, Michael M, Angelo JR, Safdar A, Amlie-Wolf L, Hunley TE, Ellison JS, Feig D, Zaritsky J. Genetic testing in children with nephrolithiasis and nephrocalcinosis. Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) 2023. PMID: 36688940


  22. Tifany Chu, Joy Karmakar, Peter M. Haggie, Joseph-Anthony Tan, Riya Master, Keerthana Ramaswamy, Alan S. Verkman, Marc O. Anderson, Onur Cil. Selective isoxazolopyrimidine PAT1 (SLC26A6) inhibitors for therapy of intestinal disorders. RSC Medicinal Chemistry 2023. PMID:


  23. Pattareeya Yottasan, Qi Tifany Chu, Onur Cil. Repurposing Calcium-Sensing Receptor Activator Cinacalcet for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Treatment. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2022. PMID:


  24. Lindgren ES, Cil O, Verkman AS, Pasricha ND. Ocular Surface Ion Transport and Dry Eye Disease. Current Ophthalmology Reports 2022. PMID: 38213468


  25. Cil O, Chu QT, Lee S, Haggie PM, Verkman AS. Small molecule inhibitor of intestinal anion exchanger SLC26A3 for therapy of hyperoxaluria and nephrolithiasis. 2022. PMID: 35608921


  26. Sadiq S, Cil O. Cystinuria: An Overview of Diagnosis and Medical Management. Turkish archives of pediatrics 2022. PMID: 35822468


  27. Oak AA, Chu T, Yottasan P, Chhetri PD, Zhu J, Du Bois J, Cil O. Lubiprostone is non-selective activator of cAMP-gated ion channels and Clc-2 has a minor role in its prosecretory effect in intestinal epithelial cells. 2022. PMID: 35680165


  28. Cil O, Haggie PM, Tan JT, Rivera AA, Verkman AS. SLC26A6-selective inhibitor identified in a small-molecule screen blocks fluid absorption in small intestine. JCI insight 2021. PMID: 34100381


  29. Cil O, Chen X, Askew Page HR, Baldwin SN, Jordan MC, Myat Thwe P, Anderson MO, Haggie PM, Greenwood IA, Roos KP, Verkman AS. A small molecule inhibitor of the chloride channel TMEM16A blocks vascular smooth muscle contraction and lowers blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Kidney international 2021. PMID: 33836171


  30. Oak AA, Chhetri PD, Rivera AA, Verkman AS, Cil O. Repurposing calcium-sensing receptor agonist cinacalcet for treatment of CFTR-mediated secretory diarrheas. JCI insight 2021. PMID: 33400691


  31. Onur Cil, Xiaolan Chen, Henry Askew Page, Maria C. Jordan, Pyone Myat Thwe, Samuel N. Baldwin, Marc O. Anderson, Iain A. Greenwood, Kenneth P. Roos, Alan S. Verkman. Small Molecule Inhibitor of TMEM16A Chloride Channel Blocks Vascular Smooth Muscle Contraction and Lowers Blood Pressure in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2020. PMID:


  32. Cil O, Perwad F. a-Lipoic Acid (ALA) Improves Cystine Solubility in Cystinuria: Report of 2 Cases. Pediatrics 2020. PMID: 32245805


  33. Lee S, Cil O, Haggie PM, Verkman AS. 4,8-Dimethylcoumarin Inhibitors of Intestinal Anion Exchanger slc26a3 (Downregulated in Adenoma) for Anti-Absorptive Therapy of Constipation. Journal of medicinal chemistry 2019. PMID: 31389695


  34. Cil O, Anderson MO, Yen R, Kelleher B, Huynh TL, Seo Y, Nilsen SP, Turner JR, Verkman AS. Slowed gastric emptying and improved oral glucose tolerance produced by a nanomolar-potency inhibitor of calcium-activated chloride channel TMEM16A. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 2019. PMID: 31299174


  35. Duan T, Cil O, Tse CM, Sarker R, Lin R, Donowitz M, Verkman AS. Inhibition of CFTR-mediated intestinal chloride secretion as potential therapy for bile acid diarrhea. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 2019. PMID: 31268738


  36. Duan T, Cil O, Thiagarajah JR, Verkman AS. Intestinal epithelial potassium channels and CFTR chloride channels activated in ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor diarrhea. JCI insight 2019. PMID: 30668547


  37. Haggie PM, Cil O, Lee S, Tan JA, Rivera AA, Phuan PW, Verkman AS. SLC26A3 inhibitor identified in small molecule screen blocks colonic fluid absorption and reduces constipation. JCI insight 2018. PMID: 30046015


  38. Lee S, Cil O, Diez-Cecilia E, Anderson MO, Verkman AS. Nanomolar-Potency 1,2,4-Triazoloquinoxaline Inhibitors of the Kidney Urea Transporter UT-A1. Journal of medicinal chemistry 2018. PMID: 29589443


  39. Cil O, Perwad F. Monogenic Causes of Proteinuria in Children. Frontiers in medicine 2018. PMID: 29594119


  40. Truong EC, Phuan PW, Reggi AL, Ferrera L, Galietta LJV, Levy SE, Moises AC, Cil O, Diez-Cecilia E, Lee S, Verkman AS, Anderson MO. Substituted 2-Acylaminocycloalkylthiophene-3-carboxylic Acid Arylamides as Inhibitors of the Calcium-Activated Chloride Channel Transmembrane Protein 16A (TMEM16A). Journal of medicinal chemistry 2017. PMID: 28493701


  41. Son JH, Zhu JS, Phuan PW, Cil O, Teuthorn AP, Ku CK, Lee S, Verkman AS, Kurth MJ. High-Potency Phenylquinoxalinone Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) Activators. Journal of medicinal chemistry 2017. PMID: 28230981


  42. Cil O, Phuan PW, Gillespie AM, Lee S, Tradtrantip L, Yin J, Tse M, Zachos NC, Lin R, Donowitz M, Verkman AS. Benzopyrimido-pyrrolo-oxazine-dione CFTR inhibitor (R)-BPO-27 for antisecretory therapy of diarrheas caused by bacterial enterotoxins. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 2016. PMID: 27871064


  43. Cil O, Phuan PW, Son JH, Zhu JS, Ku CK, Tabib NA, Teuthorn AP, Ferrera L, Zachos NC, Lin R, Galietta LJV, Donowitz M, Kurth MJ, Verkman AS. Phenylquinoxalinone CFTR activator as potential prosecretory therapy for constipation. Translational research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine 2016. PMID: 27815136


  44. Cil O, Haggie PM, Phuan PW, Tan JA, Verkman AS. Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Pendrin Potentiate the Diuretic Action of Furosemide. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN 2016. PMID: 27153921


  45. Cil O, Phuan PW, Lee S, Tan J, Haggie PM, Levin MH, Sun L, Thiagarajah JR, Ma T, Verkman AS. CFTR activator increases intestinal fluid secretion and normalizes stool output in a mouse model of constipation. Cellular and molecular gastroenterology and hepatology 2016. PMID: 27127798


  46. Serdaroglu E, Takci S, Kotarsky H, Çil O, Utine E, Yigit S, Fellman V. A Turkish BCS1L mutation causes GRACILE-like disorder. The Turkish journal of pediatrics 2016. PMID: 29090881


  47. Besbas N, Kalyoncu M, Cil O, Ozgul RK, Bakkaloglu A, Ozaltin F. MCP1 2518 A/G polymorphism affects progression of childhood focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Renal failure 2015. PMID: 26335292


  48. Cil O, Esteva-Font C, Tas ST, Su T, Lee S, Anderson MO, Ertunc M, Verkman AS. Salt-sparing diuretic action of a water-soluble urea analog inhibitor of urea transporters UT-A and UT-B in rats. Kidney international 2015. PMID: 25993324


  49. Cil O, Besbas N, Duzova A, Topaloglu R, Peco-Antic A, Korkmaz E, Ozaltin F. Genetic abnormalities and prognosis in patients with congenital and infantile nephrotic syndrome. Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) 2015. PMID: 25720465


  50. Esteva-Font C, Cil O, Phuan PW, Su T, Lee S, Anderson MO, Verkman AS. Diuresis and reduced urinary osmolality in rats produced by small-molecule UT-A-selective urea transport inhibitors. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 2014. PMID: 24843071


  51. Verkman AS, Esteva-Font C, Cil O, Anderson MO, Li F, Li M, Lei T, Ren H, Yang B. Small-molecule inhibitors of urea transporters. Sub-cellular biochemistry 2014. PMID: 25298345


  52. Unal S, Gumruk F, Yigit S, Tuncer M, Tavil B, Cil O, Takci S, Urata M, Hotta T, Kang D, Cetin M. A novel mutation in protein C gene (PROC) causing severe phenotype in neonatal period. Pediatric blood & cancer 2013. PMID: 24115609


  53. Celebi N, Cil H, Cil O, Canbay O, Onur R, Aypar U. Protective effect of coenzyme Q10 in paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in rats. Neurosciences (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) 2013. PMID: 23545610


  54. Ozaltin F, Besbas N, Iskit AB, Cil O, Akcoren Z, Kale G, Bakkaloglu A. Role of CXCR1 (CKR-1) in inflammation of experimental mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis. Renal failure 2013. PMID: 23336303


  55. Cil O, Ertunc M, Onur R. The diuretic effect of urea analog dimethylthiourea in female Wistar rats. Human & experimental toxicology 2012. PMID: 23023029


  56. Cil O, Ertunc M, Gucer KS, Ozaltin F, Iskit AB, Onur R. Endothelial dysfunction and increased responses to renal nerve stimulation in rat kidneys during rhabdomyolysis-induced acute renal failure: role of hydroxyl radical. Renal failure 2012. PMID: 22229548


  57. Barua M, Cil O, Paterson AD, Wang K, He N, Dicks E, Parfrey P, Pei Y. Family history of renal disease severity predicts the mutated gene in ADPKD. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN 2009. PMID: 19443633


  58. Wang K, Zhao X, Chan S, Cil O, He N, Song X, Paterson AD, Pei Y. Evidence for pathogenicity of atypical splice mutations in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN 2009. PMID: 19158373