Human IRF8 variants were associated with severe immunodeficiency and early disseminated infection by BCG vaccines in infants. Further studies in mice carrying the IRF8 variants allowed for better understanding of the role of IRF8 in transcription, monocyte and dendritic cell development, and antimycobacterial immunity.  Hambleton et al., NEJM (2011)

A loss-of-function mutation in Usp15 was identified that protected mice from experimental cerebral malaria induced by Plasmodium berghei infection. Interestingly, the mutation in Usp15 was further shown to protect from neuroinflammation and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis as a model of multiple sclerosis. These findings reveal that there is significant overlap between pathways regulating host defense response and inflammation. Torre et al., Nature Immunology (2017)

Cysteamine treatment was shown to improve anti-plasmodial activity towards blood-stage and cerebral malaria when administered in combination with artermisinin in mice. Clinical treatment with Cysteamine could improve outcomes and decrease mortality in cerebral malaria patients, as well as prevent or delay onset of resistance to artemisinins. Moradin et al., Malaria Journal (2016)