Tanja A. Gruber

Tanja A. Gruber, MD, PhD, is the Chambers Family Endowed Professor for Pediatric Cancer at Stanford University School of Medicine, Professor in the Department of Pediatrics (Division of Hematology & Oncology), and Division Chief of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation & Regenerative Medicine (since 2020). She also serves as Director of the Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Associate Director for Childhood Cancer at the Stanford Cancer Institute.

Education & Certification:

• MD – University of Southern California, 2003
• Residency – Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, 2006
• Fellowship – Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, 2009
• Board Certified – American Board of Pediatrics (Pediatrics, 2007; Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, 2011)

Research Focus:

Dr. Gruber’s laboratory investigates the molecular pathogenesis of high-risk pediatric leukemias, with particular emphasis on infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL). Her group employs cutting-edge genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic approaches to dissect fusion oncogenes such as KMT2A-AFF1, CBFA2T3-GLIS2, and CIC-NUTM2A, and to identify actionable therapeutic targets. A major translational effort involves high-throughput drug screens that have already led to two agents entering clinical trials for infant ALL.

Recent Publication Themes:

Across her 2022–2025 publications, three dominant themes emerge:

1. Targeted Therapy Development: Multivalent CAR-T cells (ELECTRIC system) targeting KIT/MPL/FLT3 for safer HSCT conditioning; BCL-XL inhibition (Navitoclax, DT2216) in CBFA2T3-GLIS2 AMKL.
2. Biomarker-Driven Risk Stratification: Inflammatory gene signatures to identify high-risk T-lineage ALL and AML subgroups, informing precision treatment choices such as venetoclax sensitivity.
3. Mechanistic Oncogenesis: Elucidation of transcriptional networks (NOTCH, Hedgehog, TGFβ, WNT) dysregulated by CBFA2T3-GLIS2 and creation of CRISPR-engineered models of KMT2A-AFF1 leukemogenesis.

Awards & Honors:

• Chambers Family Endowed Professorship for Pediatric Cancer

Mentorship & Team:

Dr. Gruber mentors postdoctoral scholars Mohammad Balood and Binay Kumar Sahoo, and directs a multidisciplinary team of research scientists and graduate students in the Gruber Lab. She also leads institutional initiatives to standardize care pathways for high-risk pediatric oncology patients, fostering collaboration between Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and the Stanford Cancer Institute.