Cellular Fe import, via the transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1/CD71), supports TH type 1 (TH1) cell immunity and its regulation by induced Treg (iTreg) cells (Voss et al, 2023) as well as antibody responses to vaccination (Frost et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2019) and immunity against infection by pathogens such as Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria (Wideman et al, 2023). Here, TFRC is linked to malaria.