Mark Laabs

Founder

After being diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma in 2012, Mark founded RCRF to bring shared service and infrastructure innovations to the rare cancer research ecosystem. Early in life, Mark established guiding principles to live by, two of which were “make the greatest contribution you can over the course of your lifetime” and to “consider the impact of your decisions on the next seven generations.” 

RCRF’s mission to provide infrastructure solutions for all rare cancers, not just the one he was diagnosed with, demonstrates how fully Mark integrated these principles into his values and life. Beyond RCRF, Mark served as a founder, partner, advisor, and builder of a wide range of organizations, including Modern Energy, Faro Energy, Soligent, Climate Bridge, and as a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company. Mark graduated as a Robertson Scholar jointly from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. 

Mark passed away in early 2024, having set a visionary course for RCRF and the rare cancer community, and having deeply inspired those around him and touched countless hearts and minds globally.