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Evan C. Ray, MD, PhD

  • Assistant Professor of Medicine

Ray is a medical electrolyte specialist with a specific interest in electrolyte handling in the kidney and body-wide mineral balance. In the clinic, he focuses on patients with abnormalities of mineral handling (sodium, potassium, or magnesium). Dr. Ray’s research uses human data and experiments with mice and cell culture to understand: 
1) The physiologic regulation of ion channels and other transporters in the kidney and GI tract that are important for mineral balance.
2) The influence of mineral balance on bodily health, including effects on blood pressure, bone density, metabolism and the effects on the health of offspring of females with mineral deficiency. 
3) Novel therapeutic strategies to help patients with mineral balance disorders. 
We are committed to providing a working environment that is safe, comfortable and a good growing space for people of diverse backgrounds and genders. Several students who previously worked with Ray in the laboratory have won research awards and have gone on to medical or graduate school. 

Professional and Scientific Society Memberships:

  • National Kidney Foundation, 2013-Present
  • American Society of Nephrology, 2013-Present
  • American Heart Association, 2013-Present
  • American Physiological Society, 2017-Present
  • International Society for the Development of Research on Magnesium, 2019-Present

Education & Training

  • BS, Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, 1996
  • PhD, Cell Physiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2006
  • MD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2008
  • Internship in Internal Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2008-2009
  • Residency in Internal Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2009-2011
  • Fellowship in Nephrology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2011-2014
  • Research Scholarship in Renal Physiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2014-2016

Selected Publications

Ray EC, and Deutsch C.  A trapped intracellular cation modulates K+channel recovery from slow inactivation. J Gen Physiol. 2006. 128:203-17.PMID: 16847099.
Chen J, Ray EC, Winarski KL, Brodsky JL, Buck TM, Kleyman TR, Sheng S. Functional Roles of clusters of hydrophobic and polar residues in the epithelial Na+channel knuckle domain.  J. Biol. Chem.2015. 290(41):25140-50. PMID: 26306034.

Ray EC*, Chen J*, Kelly TN, He J, Hamm LL, Gu D, Rao DC, Hixson JE, Sheng S, Kleyman TK. Human Epithelial Na+Channel Missense Variants Identified in the GenSalt Study Alter Channel Activity. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol.2016. 311(5):F908-F914. PMID: 27582106 Accompanying editorial: Pao, A.C. and  T.I. Chan. An experimentum crucis in salt sensitivity. Am J Physiol  2016. PMID:27654894 *Authors contributed equally to this manuscript. Selected as an APSselect manuscript for October 2016 and AJP Renal Physiology Editor’s Pick for 2016.

Unruh ML, Pankratz VS, Demko JE, Ray EC, Hughey RP, Kleyman TR. Trial of Amiloride in Type 2 Diabetes with Proteinuria.  Kidney Int Rep2017. 2(5):893-904. PMID: 28890943.

Rondon-Berrios H, Tandukar S, Mor MK, Ray EC, Bender FH, Kleyman TR, Weisbord SD. Urea for the Treatment of Hyponatremia. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol.2018. 13: (11) 1627-1632. PMID: 30181129

Ray EC*, Miller RG, Demko JE, Costacou T, Kinlough CL, Demko CL, Unruh ML, Orchard TR, Kleyman TR. Urinary plasmin(ogen) as a prognostic factor for increased blood pressure, hypertension, and mortality. Kidney Int Rep, 2018. 6:1434-1442. PMID 30450470. *Corresponding author.  Accompanying commentary: Kohan, D.E. Urinary plasmin(ogen): New predictor of hypertension. Kidney Int Rep, 2018. 6:1242-1244. PMID 30450446. 

Wang XP, Im SJ, Balchak DM, Montalbetti N, Carattino MD, Ray EC, and Kashlan OB. Murine epithelial sodium (Na+) channel regulation by biliary factors. J Biol Chem. 2019. 294:10182-10193.PMID 31092599.

Ray EC*, Boyd-Shiwarski CR, Liu P, Novacic D, and Cassiman D. SGLT2 Inhibitors for Refractory Hypomagnesemia Treatment: a Case Report of 3 Patients. Kidney Med. 2020.2: 359-365. *Corresponding author.

Carrisoza-Gaytan R*, Ray EC*, Flores D, Marciszyn AL, Wu P, Liu L, Subramanya AR, Wang WH, Sheng S, Nkashama LJ, Chen J, Jackson EJ, Mutchler SM, Heja S, Kohan DE, Satlin LM, Kleyman TR. Intercalated cell BKα subunit is required for flow-induced K+ secretion. J Clin Invest Insight. 2020. 5:e130553. PMID: 32255763*Authors contributed equally to this manuscript.

Boyd-Shiwarski CR, Weaver CJ, Beacham RT, Shiwarski DJ, Connolly KA, Nkashama LJ, Mutchler S, Griffiths SE, Knoell SA, Sebastiani RS, Ray EC, Marciszyn AL, Subramanya AR. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol.2020. 318:1341-F1356. PMID: 32281415.

Mass Balance Study of the Engineered Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide, WLBU2, Following a Single Intravenous Dose of 14C-WLBU2 in Mice. Beumer JH, Guo J, Ray EC, Scemam J, Parise RA, Desclouches B, Steckbeck JD, Montelaro RC, and Eiseman JL. Current Clinical Pharmacology. E-pub ahead of print. PMID: 32778037

Full Publication List via NIH PubMed »

Research Interest Summary

Ion channel and Electrolyte Physiology