The immune system mounts a sustained attack on the body's own tissues, and an autoimmune disorder ensues.
Autoimmune disorders are among the major causes of lifelong disability in the community.
They are also among the most enigmatic of all human diseases - their causes are obscure, and while drugs or other therapies can, in some cases, alleviate their symptoms, they have traditionally been regarded as incurable. However, recent, rapid progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms of autoimmune disorders promises a revolution in the first decade of the 21st century. IDDM is one of two major autoimmune disorders in the Division's research portfolio - the other is the joint disease rheumatoid arthritis.