Iowa State alumnus Shane Jacobson, a lead investor for cancer research, returned to campus Wednesday, speaking to students about his foundation and how it is affecting the future of cancer research.

Jacobson is the CEO of The V Foundation for Cancer Research, which was founded by former college basketball head coach Jim Valvano. The main goal of the Foundation is “Victory Over Cancer,” according to the Foundation’s website.

Jacobson outlined Valvano’s famous speech.

“Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities, but it cannot touch my mind, my heart or my soul,” Jacobson said.

The lecture, presented by Jacobson, outlined the impact of the V Foundation and how it is currently helping cancer research today. He also presented about current methods of research being conducted and the drive of the V Foundation.

“The future is right now,” Jacobson said.  “Looking forward to the reality that anyone in the future who needs to and will be affected by the effects of cancer research, we need more of those people.”

According to Jacobson, the research and new methods being created today are actively changing the outlook on cancer and the research being conducted to prevent and stop it by the V Foundation.

Jacobson outlined the good, the bad and what the V Foundation is doing now to stop cancer.

“The good news today is that the five-year cancer survivorship rates are going up,” Jacobson said.

The rates, outlined by Jacobson, are quickly rising than previous years before. In the 1970s, there was a 49% rate of survivorship, compared to 2024, when there was a 68% rate of survivorship of cancer.

“It is predicted [that] by the year 2040, it will grow from 18 million to 26 million cancer survivors,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson attributes the fact that more people today are surviving cancer today because of the impact of cancer research compared to 50 years ago.

Another “good” outlined by Jacobson was the research in pediatric cancer.

“In the mid-60s, there was a 58% five-year survival rate for pediatric cancer,” Jacobson said.  “Today, it is at 85% survival rate. We are making a ton of progress because we are funding research.”

Jacobson then expressed “the bad” of what is currently happening.

“We are going to see a short increase going forward in cancer rates in the younger generation,” Jacobson said.  “We don’t know why. We have some hypotheses.”

The number of cancer cases is set to increase by 77% from 2022 to 2050. That is about 20 million cancer cases, according to Jacobson.

“We have to do something now,” Jacobson said. “We must do something about it, right?”

Jacobson then highlighted the impactful research the V Foundation is currently conducting throughout the country.

“We funded more than 1,300 researchers across the country and we have funded 150 different institutions doing cancer research,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson outlined the future of cancer research and what the V Foundation is doing:

• Harnessing the power of the immune system

• Innovative technologies

• Personalized medicine and precision oncology

• Manipulating the microbiome

• Early detection/prevention

• Accelerating new ideas through collaboration

“The future is right now,” Jacobson said. “This future is one that is incredibly exciting. It’s the future that the V Foundation is proud to be a part of.”

He graduated from Iowa State with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The lecture was recorded and will be uploaded within 36 hours. It will be available for those with an Iowa State NetID for two weeks on the available recordings page.