CCRI named Optum Center of Excellence
The Cancer Center and Research Institute at the University of Mississippi Medical Center is now an Optum Center of Excellence for Cellular Immunotherapy and Gene Therapy, an achievement that recognizes UMMC for meeting rigorous standards in delivering advanced CAR T-cell therapy and exceptional patient care.
“Being named an Optum Center of Excellence is a tremendous recognition for CCRI and for UMMC as a whole,” said Dr. Rod Rocconi, Ergon Chair for Cancer Research and CCRI director. “It reflects the hard work, skill and dedication of every team member. We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment.”
The designation from Optum, a leading information and technology-enabled health services company, follows the Optum 2025 Cellular Immunotherapy Survey. To be considered for Center of Excellence standing, programs must meet criteria set by Optum that include patient outcomes, annual volume of transplants, program accreditations, and physician and program experience. Optum’s network of centers of excellence helps ensure that patients have access to top-tier care for complex medical needs.
CAR T therapy, a highly specialized and personalized immunotherapy, is used to treat certain types of relapsed or refractory cancers. The UMMC Bone Marrow Transplant Unit is the first in the state to treat patients with persistent cancers with chimeric antigen receptor T cell, or CAR T, therapy. CAR T therapy harnesses a patient’s own T cells, reengineering them to more powerfully recognize and destroy cancer cells.
"Our center is honored to be recognized as a Center of Excellence for Cellular Therapy, and we are grateful that this designation will help us reach and treat more patients who need this important therapy,” said Dr. Carter Milner, professor of hematology and oncology and bone marrow transplant. “The UMMC Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Team has worked together with a shared commitment to providing the best possible care for Mississippians.”
UMMC’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit received the Center of Excellence designation for children and adults in April 2022, as did UMMC’s liver and kidney transplant programs.
“This is a true reflection of the continued hard work, expertise, and dedication of our team,” said Romy Aguilar, program supervisor for the Adult and Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Program at UMMC. “This designation is definitely something we should all be proud of.”
The honor is a milestone in CCRI’s journey toward National Cancer Institute designation and its mission to improve cancer outcomes for Mississippians, Rocconi said.
“This designation strengthens our mission to provide world-class cancer care right here in Mississippi,” he said. “We will continue to expand access to the latest therapies and offer hope to the patients and families we serve.”