The University of Kansas Cancer Center broke ground on May 23, 2025, on a new complex that will bring research and patient care together under one roof for the first time in the health system’s history. This next‑generation facility, located on the 39th and Rainbow campus, is scheduled for completion in late fall 2027.
The new cancer center will serve as a national hub for groundbreaking therapies, collaborative scientific discovery, and lifesaving care for patients across the region and beyond. As the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and one of fewer than 60 in the nation, this expansion will significantly enhance the center’s ability to deliver leading‑edge treatment and research.
The project features a new 234,000‑square‑foot, eight‑story research laboratory building with state‑of‑the‑art wet labs, a vivarium, and cleanroom/GMP space. It also includes a 27,000‑square‑foot renovation of a portion of the Dykes Library to create a new central utility plant, along with upgrades to the existing Hemenway Life Sciences Innovation Center vivarium.
