At the third annual Zilkha Symposium, held April 15, 2016, in Los Angeles, scientists from the United States and Europe wrestled with the immense complexity and heterogeneity of Alzheimer’s disease. The program ranged from genetics to clinical symptoms to drug targets. Researchers discussed how genes point to amyloid, tau, and the immune system. They debated the merits of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease based on symptoms versus biomarkers, and considered a panoply of medications now in trials. Rather than being overwhelmed by complexity, however, researchers were confident that even attacking one of multiple pathogenic pathways in Alzheimer’s could help people with the disease, perhaps soon. Highlights included new approaches to Aβ oligomer morphology, the interplay between amyloid and microbes, and the importance of the brain’s vascular system. Read Amber Dance’s series.