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Under the leadership of Dr. Wen-Hwa Lee and Dr. Chun-Mei Hu, the research team at the Genomic Research Center, Academia Sinica dedicated five years to employing advanced whole pancreas 3D histological techniques for the dissection of Kras^G12D/+ genetically modified mice. Their investigation confirmed that more than 90% of early-stage PanIN cells exhibit overexpression of the Muc4 gene, a mucin, and are surrounded by activated fibroblasts. Moreover, they unveiled the reciprocal interaction between the cancer-causing Kras gene and the mediated Muc4 gene. This dynamic interplay modifies and attracts neighboring fibroblasts, assimilating them as allies in promoting pancreatic carcinogenesis. Through a synergistic effect, a microenvironment favoring PanIN cell proliferation is established, elevating the susceptibility to precancerous lesions. These research findings have been published in the November issue of the Advanced Science in 2023.