Question: Some scientists think that cells in the pancreas can be destroyed by the body's own immune system. Why do you think it would be difficult to make a vaccination for this?

Richard Unwin answered on 12 Nov 2015:

Excellent question. It is though that autoimmunity (your immune system acting against yourself, rather than bugs) plays a role in Type 1 diabetes development, though I’m not convinced that’s the whole story. Either way, a vaccine would be difficult (vaccines stimulate the immune system to attack unwanted cells e.g. infections – you don’t want to stimulate attack against the pancreas). However, there are some studies that have shown you can perhaps ‘distract’ or even get rid of the immune cells responsible and that this might be a way forward. To date, though tests have only shown short-term effects of such treatments.