Just like the amyloid deposits formed in neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases)5 and progressive diseases (e.g., type II diabetes and cystic fibrosis)6,7, amylin aggregates consist of stacked protofilaments, leading to a structural architecture known as the cross-β structure8–10. The gene discussed is IAPP; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.