Our study adds to current knowledge of protective immunity to cerebral malaria by suggesting that antibodies may facilitate clearance of IE expressing variants of PfEMP1 that are associated with severe malaria, including PfEMP1 with ICAM-1 binding DBLβ domains and CIDRy12 domains, via FcγRIIIb and C1q mediated pathways such as phagocytosis. Here, ICAM1 is linked to malaria.