“Everyone has always been taught that type 1 diabetes is caused by a mistake of the immune system. The immune system becomes confused and destroys the beta cells. But we have come to realize that the immune system is not making a mistake at all. It is responding with good intentions. It is actually the beta cells that go wrong. These cells produce insulin at an incredible rate. A single beta cell can produce one million insulin molecules per minute. Due to this intense workload, the cells can become stressed. When that happens, the insulin RNA (the genetic blueprint, editor’s note) may be read incorrectly, causing the beta cells to produce faulty insulin. That is what the immune system responds to.”