About Us
Producing the next generation of cancer care
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is embarking on a transformative phase in therapeutic development. We're committed to expediting the delivery of cell- and gene-based treatments to cancer patients, significantly reducing the timeline for new therapies to reach the market.
At the forefront of this initiative is the Roswell Park GMP Engineering & Cell Manufacturing Facility, poised to accelerate the most promising immunotherapy treatments through clinical trials. Few institutions across the nation boast comprehensive capabilities for pre-treatment, manufacturing, and post-treatment of immunotherapies and gene therapy clinical trials. Roswell Park stands out, offering all these services at your disposal. Partner with us for a collaboration that propels the advancement of innovative therapies in the cancer treatment landscape.
Experience Matters
Years
of scientific innovation
Square Foot
purpose-built facility (opening early 2025)
Clean Rooms
all state of the art
Focus on solid tumors
Presently, all FDA-approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies are designed for patients with blood cancers. The focus at Roswell Park is now pivoting towards the application of CAR T-cell technology in solid tumors, encompassing areas such as breast, lung, and prostate.
To spearhead these groundbreaking initiatives in cell therapy and immunotherapy, Roswell Park has curated a team of industry leaders. Under the guidance of Deputy Director Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD, the team is seamlessly orchestrating efforts to transition innovative therapies from the research bench to the patient bedside.
Driving the initiatives at our GMP Engineering & Cell Manufacturing Facility are key leaders in the field, including immunotherapy pioneer Marco Davila, MD, PhD; flow cytometry and immune monitoring expert Peter Maslak, MD; and technical operations expert Chris Choi, PhD, MBA. Partner with us for collaborations that propel advancements in CAR T-cell technology for a broader spectrum of therapeutic applications.
Cellular therapy is in its infancy, but it’s already dramatically reshaping what we can achieve through cancer therapy. I’m incredibly excited about the progress we’re going to make in the next few years — the time we are going to be able to give back to patients with even advanced cancers, the cures that are within our reach today.
Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD Meet Dr. Brentjens
New York’s first cell and gene therapy hub
Upon reaching full capacity, the Roswell Park GMP Engineering & Cell Manufacturing Facility is poised to become one of the largest academic centers for cell and gene therapy research and manufacturing in the United States. This $98 million facility is underpinned by a substantial investment from the State of New York.
In her 2023 State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the establishment of two cell and gene therapy hubs – one upstate and one downstate. Each hub is strategically designed to co-locate essential cell and gene therapy infrastructure, technology, and services.
Empire State Development, the primary economic development organization in the state, has committed a $30 million investment to facilitate the expansion of capacity in Buffalo. Currently equipped with six clean rooms, Roswell Park's Therapeutic Cell Production Facility is set to house 20 specialized clean rooms in the expanded facility. This new infrastructure is designed to optimize every stage of the cell therapy development process, significantly reducing the timeline from research to production. Partner with us for collaborations that leverage state-of-the-art facilities and government-backed initiatives for accelerated advancements in cell and gene therapies.
A respected legacy of innovation
With a rich legacy dating back to 1898, Roswell Park stands as a global leader in pioneering innovative cancer treatments and discoveries. As the world's first institution exclusively dedicated to cancer research, Roswell Park was founded on the visionary belief that eradicating cancer requires meticulously organized scientific research. Our namesake founder envisioned a collaborative approach, seamlessly integrating investigations in the laboratory and clinic to expedite discoveries and hasten the delivery of promising new treatments.
This visionary perspective has propelled Roswell Park through more than a century of medical breakthroughs and discoveries. Notably, our early successes played a pivotal role in the passage of the National Cancer Act in 1971, positioning Roswell Park as one of the first institutions in the nation to be recognized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a comprehensive cancer center. Partner with us for collaborations that tap into a legacy of innovation and contribute to the future of cutting-edge cancer research and treatments.
"The most respected and accomplished experts in cell therapy put their passion to work here in Buffalo because they can innovate at Roswell Park in ways they simply cannot anywhere else."
Candace S. Johnson, PhD