More than 65 loci, encoding up to 500 different genes,have been implicated by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) as conferring an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D).Whilst mouse models have in the past been central to understanding the mechanisms through which more penetrant risk genes for T2D, for example,those responsible for neonatal or maturity-onset diabetes of the young, only a few of those identified by GWAS, notablyTCF7L2 and ZnT8/SLC30A8, have to date been examined in mouse models. The gene discussed is SLC30A8; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.