Stanford Cancer Institute leader Tanja Gruber, MD, PhD, was recognized as the 2026 Scientific Honoree at the American Cancer Society San Francisco Discovery Gala on September 12, 2026. Gruber was selected for her impact in pediatric oncology, where she has advanced the understanding and treatment of difficult-to-treat and high-risk leukemia.
The award honors an outstanding researcher whose work reflects the progress, promise, and potential of cancer research, while highlighting the importance of investing in the scientists advancing new discoveries and better outcomes.
Gruber conducts laboratory research and clinical trials, and she is also a practicing pediatric oncologist. Of her work, she said, “The experiments that we do in the laboratory and the research always start with the same question: how can this benefit patients? That’s really important, and that’s one of the unique aspects of being a physician-scientist. You see patients and do research, so you’re more aware of the clinical questions and needs that are arising. Then you’re able to answer those questions.”
Steven Artandi, MD, PhD, director of the Stanford Cancer Institute, explained that Gruber is an expert in the two most common types of pediatric leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
He said, "As the leader of Stanford's pediatric oncology efforts, Dr. Gruber has built a powerful group of dedicated and talented faculty members and trainees. She leads faculty recruitment and prioritizes collaboration to tackle the most pressing challenges in pediatric oncology. As a scientist, she has made groundbreaking discoveries in leukemia, and as a clinician, she is incredibly warm and dedicated to her patients. I'm pleased that she's receiving this important award and being recognized for her incredible contributions to pediatric oncology."
Among Gruber’s achievements is the discovery of a protein that drives a malignant form of AML exclusively found in patients younger than 3 years, clarifying why these patients weren’t responding well to chemotherapy. Gruber also identified effective therapies for infants with ALL through laboratory research. She then evaluated the treatments in a clinical trial and found impressive outcomes. A successor trial is currently underway at 25 sites across North America to determine whether outcomes can be further improved.
“There’s really just nothing else like it anywhere,” said Mary Leonard, MD, Arline and Pete Harman Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine and the Adalyn Jay Physician-in-Chief at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford.
“Dr. Gruber is a leading authority on the genetics of leukemia, but most importantly, she is the international authority on pediatric infantile leukemia, which is a very high-risk form of leukemia,” Leonard said. “Families, who before lacked treatment options, now have access to viable therapies.”
“The goal of my research is really for every patient that I take care of to be cured,” Gruber said. “In order to do that, we really need to identify more effective therapies for those who don't have a good prognosis with the current standard of care. When you can see something from your research program in your lab, reach a patient, and then see that patient do well, it's pretty much the best motivation that exists.”
Gruber is the associate director for pediatric cancer research at the Stanford Cancer Institute, director of the Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, and chief of the Stanford Medicine Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation & Regenerative Medicine.
