Tuskegee University breaks ground on $14M game-changing genomic research center

Tuskegee University breaks ground on $14M game-changing genomic research center

August 25, 2025

Contact: Thonnia Lee,Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing

Tuskegee University cancer researchers gathered under two green tents Monday 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.

"In our push to R2 level, it allows our TU investigators to be able to teach, educate and train the next generation of genomics and gives us potential to create Ph.Ds in genomics," said Dr. Tim Turner, Associate Vice President for Research and the Center for Biomedical Research.

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.

"Tuskegee is about hope," said Dr. Mark A. Brown, President and CEO. "We always have been about hope and solutions. Today, we are saying to the world that if you're looking for the solution, it can be found right here."

"We're entering a Renaissance Period," said Dr. Brown. "We're going to build this building that is yet another building that will solve the nation's most complex problems."

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.

It provides gap funding for various projects from health centers to manufacturing facilities while expanding services and employment opportunities. And this funding incentivizes private investment in traditionally underserved, low-income communities, which can lead to significant economic benefits.

Hope Enterprise Corporation CEO William J. Bynum is an American businessperson and philanthropist. He is the chief executive officer and founder of Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and the Hope Policy Institute, collectively known as HOPE. The Hope Federal Credit Union has given $3.6 billion in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee.

"As a cancer survivor and someone who lost his first wife to cancer, thank you," said Bill Bynum, CEO of Hope Enterprise Corporation. "We all know someone who has been touched by the challenges this institution is finding solutions for."

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