Medical College of Wisconsin Builds Center for Cancer Discovery

The Medical College of Wisconsin is constructing the $153 million Center for Cancer Discovery on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus. Centralizing the university’s cancer research programs under one roof, this dynamic hub will catalyze discoveries in cancer biology, expand clinical trials, and create groundbreaking treatments for patients. 

The 161,000-sf facility will accommodate approximately 90 labs, supporting both wet and dry research functions, as well as dedicated space for investigator-led start-ups focused on the creation of innovative cancer therapeutics. Other amenities will include office settings and shared resources, such as a biorepository, analytical suites, and areas for biostatistics, cell therapy, structural biology, and translational metabolomics.

CannonDesign’s vision for the open-concept building will foster collaboration between researchers, physician-scientists, and community partners. Supported by $15 million in state funding, the center will be the region’s only fully dedicated Translational Research Unit (TRU), and will also house the Rare Cancer and Precision Medicine Clinic. 

Kahler Slater is the enclosure specialist for the project, which is being built by Mortenson. Ground was broken in September of 2022 and occupancy is slated for fall of 2025.