Key Takeaways:
- Florida’s four NCI-designated cancer centers met in Tampa to expand statewide cancer research collaboration
- Florida Academic Cancer Center Alliance leaders highlighted joint efforts in AI, drug discovery, clinical trials and rural cancer care access
- The alliance now supports new cross-institution pilot funding as Florida launches a statewide cancer plan
Researchers and leaders from four of Florida’s leading cancer centers gathered in Tampa as Moffitt Cancer Center hosted the 2026 Florida Academic Cancer Center Alliance (FACCA) Scientific Retreat. The meeting highlighted the growing power of statewide collaboration in cancer research, innovation and patient care.
The retreat brought together faculty and administrators from Moffitt, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami and the University of Florida Health Cancer Institute. Over two days, attendees discussed advances in artificial intelligence, translational science, drug discovery, cancer prevention and community outreach, while also exploring new opportunities for collaboration across institutions.
A Model Built on Collaboration
In opening remarks, Moffitt Center Director and Chief Scientific Officer John Cleveland, PhD, reflected on FACCA’s origins and growth since the statewide initiative launched in 2014 under then-Gov. Rick Scott. At the time, Florida had only one National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center despite a rapidly growing population and significant cancer burden.
Today, all four FACCA institutions hold NCI designation, a milestone Cleveland described as a “remarkable success story” driven by state investment and collaboration rather than competition.
“I put it to you that Florida is the only state in the union where NCI-designated cancer centers actually collaborate together instead of compete with each other,” Cleveland said during the welcome address. “And that’s a great model.”
Advancing Science Across Institutions
The retreat showcased that collaborative spirit. Sessions focused on AI-enabled precision oncology, enterprise data integration, machine-learning approaches to cancer sequencing data and new translational therapeutics.
Moffitt researchers were prominently featured across the program, presenting on topics including autonomous mechanistic modeling using longitudinal cancer data, mindfulness support for stem cell transplant caregivers, multidimensional drug discovery and translational platforms designed to improve clinical trial development in solid tumors.
Stephen Nimer, MD, director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, encouraged attendees to use the retreat to forge new scientific relationships across institutions.
“We’ve been on a mission to make Florida the best place in the country to do cancer research,” Nimer said. “If you’re a patient, the best place to go if you’re in need of care.”
Nimer emphasized that FACCA institutions view collaboration as a strategic advantage, particularly when pursuing large-scale grants, advancing clinical trials and advocating for continued state investment in cancer research.
Expanding Access Across Florida
The meeting also highlighted efforts to improve access to cancer care across Florida, particularly in underserved and rural regions. Roxana Dronca, MD, director of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida, discussed collaborative initiatives aimed at extending high-quality cancer care to patients in the Florida Panhandle through remote care models and partnerships with local providers.
“If we can do this, then we can definitely increase the footprint of care that we can offer,” Dronca said. “Not every treatment maybe, not every trial, but it makes a difference even if instead of 10 visits, a patient needs to come three visits.”
Community engagement also played a larger role in this year’s retreat. Ramzi Salloum, PhD, associate director for community outreach and engagement at the UF Health Cancer Institute, noted that for the first time, the meeting included representatives from each institution’s community advisory board and regional cancer control collaboratives.
Looking Ahead
The expanded participation comes as Florida launches a new statewide cancer plan, with cancer center leaders and community partners working together on implementation strategies designed to improve prevention, access and outcomes across the state.
“These partners are really critical in the state to really demonstrate the impact and help us translate the impact of the work that we do at the cancer centers,” Salloum said.
Cleveland also announced new pilot funding opportunities designed to further strengthen cross-institution collaboration. Under the program, FACCA centers will jointly support research projects involving investigators from multiple institutions, with funded teams expected to present their progress at future retreats.
“This is a very inspiring place to work, in Florida, to take on the cancer challenge,” Cleveland said. “And I think we serve actually as a role model for the rest of the nation.”
