Iowa State University alumnus Shane Jacobson, lead investor in cancer research, returned to campus Wednesday to talk to students about his foundation and how it is impacting the future of cancer research. spoke.
Jacobson is the CEO of the V Cancer Research Foundation, founded by former college basketball head coach Jim Valvano. According to the foundation’s website, its main goal is “victory against cancer.”
Jacobson outlined Valvano’s famous speech.
“Cancer can take away all my physical abilities, but it can’t affect my mind, heart, and soul,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson’s talk outlined the impact of the V Foundation and how it helps cancer research today. He also presented on current research methods and activities of the V Foundation.
“The future is here now,” Jacobson said. “I look forward to the reality that in the future there will be people who will need to be and will be affected by cancer research. We need more of them.”
Jacobson said the research and new techniques being produced today are actively changing the way we look at cancer and the research being done by the V Foundation to prevent and stop cancer.
Jacobson outlined the good, the bad, and what the V Foundation is currently doing to stop cancer.
“The good news today is that five-year survival rates for cancer are increasing,” Jacobson said.
Interest rates outlined by Jacobson are rising faster than in previous years. The cancer survival rate in 2024 was 68%, compared to 49% in the 1970s.
“By 2040, the number of cancer survivors is projected to increase from 18 million to 26 million,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson attributes the impact of cancer research to the fact that more people are surviving cancer today than 50 years ago.
Another “good thing” Jacobson outlined was pediatric cancer research.
“In the mid-’60s, the five-year survival rate for childhood cancer was 58 percent,” Jacobson says. “Currently, the survival rate is 85%. We are funding research and are making great progress.”
Mr. Jacobson then expressed the “bad things” about what is currently happening.
“Going forward, we will see a short-term increase in cancer incidence among young people,” Jacobson said. “We don’t know why. We have a few theories.”
According to Jacobson, the number of cancer cases is expected to increase by 77% from 2022 to 2050. This is equivalent to approximately 20 million people suffering from cancer.
“We have to do something now,” Jacobson said. “We’ve got to do something about that, right?”
Jacobson then highlighted the impactful research the V Foundation is currently conducting across the country.
“We’ve funded more than 1,300 researchers across the country and funded 150 different institutions doing cancer research,” Jacobson said.
Mr. Jacobson outlined the future of cancer research and the work of the V Foundation.
Harness the power of your immune system
innovative technology
Personalized medicine and precision oncology
Microbiome manipulation
Early detection/early prevention
Accelerate new ideas through collaboration
“The future is here now,” Jacobson said. “This future is incredibly exciting, and it’s a future that the V Foundation is proud to be a part of.”
He graduated from Iowa State University with both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. Lectures will be recorded and uploaded within 36 hours. Anyone with an Iowa NetID can watch for two weeks through the available recordings page.
