New Brunswick is changing. If you’ve driven down French or Somerset Street lately, you’ve seen it—that massive, towering glass structure that looks more like a high-end tech headquarters than a traditional hospital. That is the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center. It’s not just another building for Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health. It is actually the state's first freestanding cancer hospital.
Think about that for a second.
Until now, if you were dealing with a complex diagnosis in Jersey, you were often bouncing between different buildings, different wings, or even different cities to get your imaging, your chemo, and your surgical consults. This place changes the math. It’s a 15-story, 520,000-square-foot beast designed to put every single thing a patient needs under one roof. It's about time.
What’s actually inside the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center?
Most people hear "cancer center" and think of sterile waiting rooms and fluorescent lights. This is different. The $750 million project was built with a specific philosophy: integration.
You’ve got outpatient clinics, sure. But you also have advanced oncology inpatient units. There are specialized procedure rooms that look like something out of a sci-fi movie. One of the most important parts, though, isn't the clinical space—it’s the research labs. Basically, the scientists are working just floors away from the doctors treating patients. This creates a "bench-to-bedside" pipeline that isn't just a buzzword; it’s the literal floor plan.
The Research Powerhouse
When we talk about the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, we’re talking about the power of an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. That designation from the National Cancer Institute is the gold standard. Rutgers Cancer Institute is the only one in New Jersey.
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Why does that matter to a regular person? Clinical trials.
Often, when traditional treatments fail, a clinical trial is the only path forward. Because the research labs are integrated into this new facility, patients get faster access to CAR T-cell therapy, immunotherapy, and precision medicine. They aren't waiting for a courier to drive a sample across town. It’s all right there.
Who are Jack and Sheryl Morris?
You see the names on the building and might wonder who actually funded this. Jack Morris is a giant in the New Jersey real estate world—think Edgewood Properties. He’s also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at RWJBarnabas Health. He and his wife, Sheryl, made a massive philanthropic investment to get this thing off the ground.
It wasn't just a check, though. Morris has been vocal about the fact that New Jersey residents shouldn't have to cross the bridge to New York or Philadelphia to get world-class care. Honestly, it’s a pride thing for the state. Why go to Sloan Kettering or Penn if the same—or better—tech is sitting in New Brunswick?
Breaking down the patient experience
Let's get real about what it’s like to be a patient. It sucks. It’s scary, confusing, and exhausting. The architects of the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center seemed to actually listen to that.
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- There are private infusion suites.
- You’ll find wellness gardens for when the four walls of a room feel too small.
- They built in a massive focus on "navigation." That means having humans whose entire job is to hold your hand through the logistics.
The facility includes 96 inpatient beds. That's a lot. Specifically, an entire floor is dedicated to bone marrow transplants and cell therapy. They also have specialized areas for different types of cancer—breast, GI, lung, prostate. You aren't just a number in a general ward; you’re in a wing where every nurse and tech is an expert in your specific type of disease.
The Role of RWJBarnabas Health
The partnership here is key. RWJBarnabas Health is a massive system, and the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center serves as the "mother ship." If you're being treated at a smaller RWJ facility in Hamilton or Somerset, you still have access to the resources here. It’s a hub-and-spoke model.
Why the location in New Brunswick matters
New Brunswick is already a "Healthcare City." You have Johnson & Johnson’s world headquarters right there. You have Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
By placing the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center in this specific corridor, they’ve created a "med-tech" cluster. It’s easier to recruit the best doctors in the world when they know they can collaborate with J&J scientists or Rutgers PhDs just by walking a few blocks.
The Reality of Specialized Cancer Care
One thing people get wrong is thinking that every cancer center is the same. They aren't. A community hospital is great for standard care, but for something like "precision medicine"—where they sequence your tumor’s DNA to find a specific drug that kills your specific cancer—you need a place like this.
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The Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center houses the technology required for this level of detail. We're talking about advanced genomic testing facilities that most hospitals simply cannot afford to maintain.
Actionable Steps for Patients and Families
If you or a loved one are looking into the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, don't just show up. There’s a process to making the most of a facility this size.
First, check your insurance. Most major providers cover Rutgers Cancer Institute, but because it’s a specialized facility, sometimes the "tier" matters. Second, ask about the "Nurse Navigator" program immediately. This is the single best resource they offer. They will help you coordinate between the surgeons, the medical oncologists, and the radiation team.
Third, look at their open clinical trials list online. Even if you aren't ready for a trial, knowing what they are researching can give you a hint at what treatments are becoming the new standard.
Finally, take advantage of the support services. This building has dedicated spaces for social work, nutrition counseling, and even financial services. Cancer is expensive and emotionally draining; the clinical side is only half the battle.
The opening of this center is a massive milestone for New Jersey. It’s a statement that the state is no longer a "pass-through" for healthcare between Philly and NYC. It’s a destination. For the thousands of families who will walk through those doors, it’s hopefully a place where the overwhelming becomes a little more manageable.
How to Get Started
- Request a Consultation: You can usually do this via the Rutgers Cancer Institute website or by calling their main navigation line.
- Transfer Your Records: Get your imaging (DICOM files) and pathology reports ready. This speeds up the second-opinion process significantly.
- Visit the Site: If you're local, drive by. Get a feel for the parking (it’s a dedicated deck) and the entrance. Reducing "new place anxiety" on the day of your first appointment is a small but real victory.