Moffitt Cancer Center's Pasco campus meets pair of milestones

Tampa-based Moffitt Cancer Center invited the public to mark two milestones on its Speros campus in Pasco County on Tuesday.

The topping out of the campus’s first building, the Moffitt Discovery & Innovation Center for research, and the installation of the cyclotron that will power the region’s first proton therapy system are the first landmarks since the project broke ground in January 2023.

“Today’s events at Speros symbolize both excellence and hope for the patients of today, as well as those we’ll serve through our cancer discoveries and care for decades to come,” says Patrick Hwu, Moffitt's president and CEO in a statement. “The research center and proton therapy program are central to our vision for Speros, which will become a global destination for cancer breakthroughs and a place where world-class care and discovery are happening side by side in one place.”

According to the organization, the cyclotron — a particle accelerator — traveled more than 4,600 miles from Belgium and will serve as the heart of the ProteusONE proton therapy system. The technology precision cancer treatment reduces side effects and improves outcomes by targeting tumors with millimeter accuracy. It will be the first proton therapy system in the Tampa Bay area.

The project was made possible by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, which donated $15 million and the yearlong equipment installation will take place in the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Proton Center.

The Speros campus is expected to bring 11,000 jobs over time once the campus opens in January 2026. It currently has $600 million in active construction and $1.1 billion in capital investment according to Moffitt.