Meyer L. Prentis Cancer Center
The Meyer L. Prentis Cancer Center is the primary laboratory research facility of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. The facility is housed on the original site of the Detroit Institute for Cancer Research, the forerunner organization to Detroit's current-day cancer program, and headquarters of the former Michigan Cancer Foundation.
The Meyer L. Prentis Cancer Center was dedicated May 16, 1973, at a ceremony featuring then-First Lady Patricia Nixon, Dr. Michael Brennan, president of the Michigan Cancer Foundation, Anna Prentis, wife of the late Meyer L. Prentis, and other local and national dignitaries.
Its 52,000 square feet of space throughout six floors is used primarily for basic (laboratory) research. Programs housed in the facility include breast cancer, developmental therapeutics, cancer genetics and immunotherapy. The facility also houses an animal facility, which predominantly includes mice and rats used for medical research purposes.
The cancer registry -- part of the National Cancer Institutes Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program -- and a program in population studies comprise the first floor of the Meyer L. Prentis Cancer Center. Together, the registry and program represent a significant investment in understanding cancer incidence and mortality among the demographically-diverse populations of metropolitan Detroit.
Significant research findings at the center include the establishment of the first human, immortal, hormone-dependent breast cancer cell line, MCF-7; a successor cell line of premalignant breast cancer, MCF-10; and three of the first four FDA-approved AIDS drugs, including AZT, the very first FDA-approved treatment for the disease.
The Meyer L. Prentis Cancer Center has recently undergone internal and external renovations making it a full-usage, state-of-the-art research environment in a contemporary setting.