Gal-3 protein is overexpressed in mice of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) and deletion of the Gal-3 gene confers partial but significant protection from ECM in C57BL/6 mice challenged with P. berghei ANKA (PbANKA), suggesting Gal-3 can also alter the pathogenic course of ECM10. Here, LGALS3 is linked to cerebral malaria.