Moffitt Cancer Center Opens Discovery And Innovation Center At Speros
TAMPA, Fla. — Moffitt Cancer Center today celebrated the grand opening of the Moffitt Discovery and Innovation Center at Speros, the 775-acre life sciences campus in Pasco County, Florida. The 250,000-square-foot research facility brings together experts in drug discovery, chemistry, bioengineering, cancer metabolism and tumor biology to advance next-generation cancer therapies, with a focus on cell therapies and radiopharmaceuticals.
By the end of the year, the building is expected to house 20 faculty labs, 12 Shared Resources, and approximately 250 faculty, researchers, postdoctoral fellows and support staff.
“When Moffitt opened its doors 40 years ago, we made a promise to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer,” said Patrick Hwu, M.D., president and CEO of Moffitt. “The Discovery and Innovation Center is how we keep that promise for the next 40 years. Scientists from different disciplines will work side by side, share the most advanced technology and move resulting therapies to patients faster.”
That collaboration is built into the building’s design. A first-floor hub of shared resources, including the Nikon Center of Excellence with 12 imaging platforms, supports labs on floors two through four, with specialized research cores on the fifth floor. Overhead utilities and movable benches let labs be reconfigured as the science evolves, while collaboration zones on every floor and a wide connecting staircase encourage conversations across disciplines.
The building also includes radiochemistry lab space for the Moffitt Radiopharmaceutical Program, which launched in August to advance theranostics, an approach that pairs diagnostic imaging with targeted radiation therapy.
“Theranostics represent a promising new method to diagnose and treat cancer,” Hwu said. “Moffitt is in a unique position to lead in radiopharmaceuticals, and we are investing in the talent and infrastructure to make it a strategic priority.”
That investment extends beyond Moffitt’s own labs. Shelled space on the third floor is reserved for the FORGE incubator, custom-designed to nurture early-stage biotech companies in partnership with Speros and Embarc Collective. This incubator is in the design phase now but is expected to open in early 2028.
The center sits next to the Moffitt Speros Outpatient Center and the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Proton Center, which together saw more than 36,000 patient visits in the first half of 2026. The campus is designed to place researchers alongside clinicians and patients, all working toward one goal: to discover, develop and deliver new treatments.
“The Discovery and Innovation Center gives Speros its scientific engine,” said Josh Carpenter, D.Phil., president of Speros and chief integration officer for Moffitt. “We designed it with room to grow because industry will drive the next phase of Speros. Companies that locate here gain a real competitive advantage: the research, clinical expertise and patients they need to turn new discoveries into treatments, all on one campus.”
The Moffitt Discovery and Innovation Center is located at 16480 Wilton Way, Land O’ Lakes, Florida. Photos and b-roll are available for media use courtesy of Moffitt Cancer Center.
###
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 58 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-844-453-0589), visit Moffitt.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Speros
Speros is a 775-acre campus in Pasco County, Florida, designed to accelerate cancer prevention and treatment through strategic industry partnerships and by forging collaborative space for scientific research and clinical care. Anchored by Moffitt Cancer Center, Speros imagines a new frontier for research and development with a mission-driven real estate venture where groundbreaking discoveries become lifesaving treatments. For more information, visit Speros.org or follow Speros on LinkedIn and X.
