Running on Hope
For Gabriele “Gabe” Grunewald, running was more than a sport. It was a source of hope and strength throughout her cancer journey.
Gabe, a University of Minnesota alumna, was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare salivary gland cancer, in 2009. Her experience showed her the challenges facing people diagnosed with rare cancers, including lack of research and effective treatment options. She founded the Brave Like Gabe Foundation to help change that reality with a mission to support rare cancer research and empower cancer survivors through physical activity. Gabe passed away in 2019, but her determination and commitment to helping others continue to inspire the foundation’s work.
Her family’s connection to the University of Minnesota runs deep. Gabe and her sister, Abigail Anderson, were both Gophers. Abigail was an artist and pediatric nurse, and was committed to continuing her sister’s legacy through the BLGF. After Abigail passed away unexpectedly in 2021, the University of Minnesota and Brave Like Gabe established the Abigail Anderson Postdoctoral Fellowship in her honor.
The fellowship reflects the sisters’ shared legacy of compassion, courage and a commitment to finding more treatments and cures for rare cancers.
Abigail Anderson Postdoctoral Fellowship
We are proud to announce Dr. Priyanka Gupta from the Moriarity/Webber lab is the recipient of the 2026-2028 Abigail Anderson Postdoctoral Fellowship.
By supporting a postdoctoral fellow over three years, Brave Like Gabe provides more than funding for individual experiments. It helps sustain the scientific expertise and research continuity needed to pursue challenging questions and move promising discoveries toward future clinical applications.
Priyanka is now helping advance the University of Minnesota’s Un-TIL It’s Cured initiative, which aims to bring a new TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte) cell therapy to patients with metastatic cancer. TIL therapy uses immune cells that have already recognized a tumor, expanding them in the laboratory so they can be returned to the patient to help fight the disease. By advancing the science behind engineered cell therapies, Priyanka’s work contributes to the broader effort to develop new treatment options for patients with advanced cancers.
Progress in cancer research depends on collaboration. Scientists need time, resources and opportunities to test new ideas. Philanthropic partners, like the Brave Like Gabe Foundation, help make that work possible, particularly in areas where additional research funding is urgently needed.
“We are continually inspired by Gabe and Abigail’s enduring legacies in all that we do. It is a true honor to partner with Brave Like Gabe in advancing our shared mission to end cancer,” said Branden Moriarity, PhD, of the University of Minnesota.
The finish line is in sight. With dedicated researchers, committed philanthropic partners and a community united by hope, the work continues.
Dr. Priyanka Gupta
