Due to the potential importance of DBLβ domains in cerebral malaria, we grouped each individual’s responses to DBLβ domains based on binding phenotype (using the geometric mean): group A DBLβ that bind ICAM-1 with the DBLβmotif ICAM-1-binding motif, group A DBLβ that do not bind ICAM-1, and group B DBLβ that bind ICAM-1, but do not contain DBLmotif (Additional file 1, Additional file 2). The gene discussed is ICAM1; the disease is cerebral malaria.