While it is possible that this approach could lead to genotype-specific artifacts, data from our laboratory using fresh RBCs and a different ICAM1 and CD36 binding laboratory-adapted parasite strain, A4U, also showed reduced PfEMP1 expression in HbS pRBC that was reversed with co-inheritance of α+thalassemia (supplementary material, Fig. S7). This evidence concerns the gene ICAM1 and alpha thalassemia spectrum.