Dr. Juliet Daniel is a Professor in the Department of Biology and the Associate Dean Research & External Relations in the Faculty of Science, at McMaster University. She is also an associate member of the Department of Oncology and Francombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute at McMaster. Dr. Daniel received her B.Sc. from Queen’s University and her Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. She spent six years as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Tennessee (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital & Vanderbilt University) before joining the Department of Biology at McMaster University in 1999 to establish her own research laboratory.

Dr. Daniel’s research expertise is cell-cell adhesion and signaling through transcription factors, and how their malfunction contributes to cancer. Dr. Daniel’s research led to her discovery and naming of a new gene “Kaiso”, coined from the popular Caribbean music “calypso”. Kaiso regulates the expression of genes that control cell proliferation and adhesion; consequently Kaiso’s malfunction in various human tumors (e.g. breast, colon, prostate) contributes to tumor progression and spread.

Dr. Daniel’s team is currently focused on colon cancer; and the aggressive and difficult to treat triple negative breast cancers (TNBC), which are most prevalent in young women of African ancestry and Hispanic women – groups that paradoxically have a lower incidence and lifetime risk of breast cancer. Her research team seeks to identify unique DNA mutations or markers in cells that may explain this racial disparity and which can then be developed for diagnostic tests or therapeutics for women diagnosed with TNBC worldwide regardless of ethnicity. Dr. Daniel partners with The Olive Branch of Hope cancer support service in Toronto to organize “Think Beyond ‘Love Pink’ Breast Cancer Awareness” workshops for women of African Ancestry in the GTA.

In recognition of her research, Dr. Daniel has received several awards, including a Black Excellence in STEM & Medicine (BE-STEMM) Mentorship Award (2022) from the Canadian Black Scientists Network, an Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) (2021) and Vice Chancellor’s Award (2019) from UWI, a WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award (2020), a Harry Jerome Innovation & Technology Award (2017) from BPPA, a Hamilton YWCA Women of Distinction Award (2014), an Illuminessence Legacy of First Award (2018), the Errol Walton Barrow Award of Excellence (2009) from Barbados Ball Canada Aid, the Barbados National Honor Gold Crown of Merit for Cancer Research (2009), the Ontario Premier’s Research Excellence Award (2001-2006), the John C. Holland Professional Achievement Award (2005), and the African Canadian Achievement Award of Excellence in Science (2008). She has also been featured in “Millenium Minds: 100 Black Canadians” (2001) and “Who’s Who in Black Canada” (2002, 2010).

Undergraduate Courses:
Biology 2L03 – Experimental Design in Biology
Molecular Biology 3B03 – Advanced Cell Biology

Previously Taught Undergraduate Courses
Molecular Biology 3I03 – Independent Research Project

Graduate Courses:
Biology 723 – Topics In Molecular Biology