Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Research Building Nears Completion, Sets the Stage for a New Era of Discovery

Milwaukee, March 13, 2025 – The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is entering the final stages of construction on its new cancer research facility located on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus. The building’s construction remains on track and occupancy is planned for early fall 2025.

The state-of-the-art 161,000-square-foot Center for Cancer Discovery (CCD) represents MCW’s long-term commitment to accelerating groundbreaking cancer research and pioneering lifesaving discoveries. It is also the first and only cancer-centered research facility in Eastern Wisconsin.

“The Medical College of Wisconsin Center for Cancer Discovery will be a hub for collaboration, innovation, and impact – where ideas move from the lab to the clinic and community faster and where new therapies take shape and are advanced to change lives,” said Gustavo Leone, PhD, director of the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center. “More than just brick and mortar, this facility is a catalyst for discovery that will allow scientists to tackle the biggest challenges in cancer biology, expand our already robust clinical trials portfolio, and enable us to offer more patients access to groundbreaking cancer treatments all of which will transform the future of cancer care in Milwaukee, across Wisconsin, and beyond.”

Currently dispersed across multiple locations, the CCD will unite all the MCW Cancer Center’s research programs under one roof. Additionally, the building’s open concept design is intended to deepen collaboration among cancer researchers, physician-scientists, and community partners. It is this highly-collaborative approach to research and patient care that makes the latest cutting-edge cancer treatment available through MCW’s clinical partners – that includes more than 220 active cancer clinical trials, the most in Wisconsin.

The new CCD will also feature dedicated space to support the development of investigator-led start-ups that focus on accelerating innovative cancer therapeutics, along with several shared resources and approximately 90 laboratories that will be home to some of the world’s top cancer scientists.

“The growth of the MCW Cancer Center and creation of a dedicated space for cancer discovery were top priorities for Dr. Joseph Kerschner [Dean Emeritus of the MCW School of Medicine] throughout his leadership at MCW. Now, as that vision becomes reality, we celebrate not just the completion of a building, but a milestone that will drive research breakthroughs, transform cancer care, and improve lives for generations to come,” Dr. Leone added.

To learn more about how the MCW Cancer Center is leading scientific breakthroughs to discover more and better ways to prevent, find, and treat cancer, visit cancer.mcw.edu.