Congratulations to Pelin Cengiz, MD, who has been named as one of the 2011 Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) KL2 scholars. This award provides for 75% protected research time + $25,000/year to support her research. Dr. Cengiz’s project is entitled, “Role of Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE-1) in hippocampal astrocytes after neonatal hypoxia and ischemia.” This study will investigate the role of a membrane protein NHE-1 that is overexpressed in astrocytes after hypoxia and ischemia in immature brains. Blocking this protein in vivo in P9 mice after hypoxia and ischemia decreased the hippocampal neurodegenereation and improved the long-term memory and learning. Studying the role of this protein in hippocampal astrocytes will enlighten mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration after hypoxia and ischemia in immature brains.