JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center opened a dedicated Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant Unit on Thursday at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville. Located in the Weaver Tower, the 24-room inpatient unit supports patients undergoing treatment for blood cancers and other complex conditions.
The specialized facility was established through an endowment by grateful patients Patricia and Bob Paquette. It accommodates patients receiving therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy, which temporarily suppresses the immune system and requires specialized monitoring during stays ranging from several days to several weeks.
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To protect immunocompromised patients, the unit incorporates an advanced ventilation and air filtration system, special respiratory rooms with antechambers and handwashing and temperature check stations at the entrance and throughout the floor.
LeeAnn Mengel, vice president and administrator at Baptist MD Anderson, emphasized the patient-centered design of the new unit. “Patients receiving these lifesaving treatments often require specialized inpatient monitoring and care,” Mengel said. “Every aspect of this new unit reflects thoughtful, patient-informed design geared toward safety, comfort and the best possible outcomes.”
The patient rooms feature views of the river and incorporate design elements modeled after Baptist MD Anderson’s flagship location on Palm Avenue. The floor includes a meditation room, a family lounge with a kitchen and dining area, four 65-inch screens displaying 80 rotating art images along the hallways and a rehabilitation space equipped with stationary bikes, a treadmill and weights.
Baptist MD Anderson launched its cellular therapy program in 2025 using T (CAR T) cell therapy. The treatment collects a patient’s T cells from their blood, modifies them in a laboratory to better recognize and eliminate cancer cells and returns them to the body to fight blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
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Dr. Maxim Norkin, hematologist oncologist and medical director of the Robert L. and Patricia A. Paquette Cellular Therapy Program, noted recent progress in treating blood cancers. “We have seen remarkable advances in treatments for blood cancers in recent years,” Norkin said. “Patients with cancers that are difficult to treat or were once thought of as incurable are living longer with an improved quality of life and we are proud to offer these life-changing treatments to our patients.”
Dr. Tom Dragovich, medical oncologist and head of the division of cancer medicine at Baptist MD Anderson, highlighted the role of specialized units in advancing medicine. “I believe the next decade will bring some of the most significant breakthroughs in cellular therapy,” Dragovich said. “Dedicated units like this provide the specialized environment needed to deliver these advanced therapies today while supporting the discoveries that will shape the future of cancer care.”
Dr. Bill Putnam, medical director of Baptist MD Anderson, said the facility expands regional access to specialized care. “Launching the program has expanded access to treatments that were once available only at select academic medical centers,” Putnam said. “The opening of our dedicated floor builds on that progress, increasing our capacity to serve more patients while reinforcing our commitment to providing advanced cancer care close to home.”
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The center plans to introduce stem cell transplantation services in summer 2027. The treatment involves replacing damaged or diseased stem cells in peripheral blood or bone marrow with healthy cells from either the patient or a donor to restore blood cell production and rebuild the immune system.
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