A major regional and national resource, the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated center for cancer research, treatment, prevention, and education. The adjacent Norris Research Tower, designed by Perkins Eastman, is where scientists and researchers work toward a complete understanding of the most fundamental aspects of cancer. The 10-story building houses a variety of wet bench research programs, dry bench research programs, shared core laboratories, administrative spaces, and a conference center with an auditorium. Designed to accommodate frequent changes in research programs and funding, individual laboratory modules have maximum flexibility. Two-story interaction lounges encourage the exchange of ideas among the university researchers and the private sector outside of a lab environment.