The ‘EE3’ motif of TRPM2 and the ‘KKR’ motif of the NMDAR mediate their interaction, which—when disrupted using an EE3 motif peptide—can protect cultured neurons from oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced neuronal death in vitro and can reduce brain damage following ischemic stroke. The gene discussed is TRPM2; the disease is ischemic stroke.