Vrije Universiteit Brussel Jun 9 2026 Scientists at the Free University of Brussels (VUB) have taken a major step forward in pancreatic cancer research. By mapping a healthy pancreas in detail down to the cellular level, they discovered that specific, rare cells in the healthy organ already bear strong similarities to the most aggressive tumor cells. The fundamental discovery, published in the leading journal Gut, opens new doors for early detection and targeted treatment of the deadly disease.