On Aug. 25, 2025, Tuskegee University cancer researchers gathered under two green tents to celebrate a day they have worked for since the COVID pandemic began.

After years of planning and requests for funding, ground was broken for the $14 million annex to the Carver Research Center, introducing a new generation of students to cancer research through the Center for Genomics and Health Disparity Research, bringing the university one step closer to R2 research goals.

The Center will bridge the gap in health disparities and incorporate genomics-driven research to ensure broader representation in research development and clinical trials.

The Carter Genomic Research Center will oversee key initiatives in workforce development, community outreach, and ethics. The center advances genomic education and empowers HBCUs like Tuskegee to become key players in a rapidly growing field, by providing cutting-edge training and research opportunities for the next generation of scientists and healthcare leaders, particularly needed in the southern Black Belt. 

Construction will be completed by Bailey-Harris Construction of Auburn, Alabama. The university is partnering with Hope Enterprise Corporation, which has committed $7 million in new markets tax credits, which brings private investment into communities that have been historically overlooked or underfunded.