Juliet Daniel

Juliet Daniel
Born(1964-09-19)September 19, 1964
Barbados
DiedApril 28, 2026(2026-04-28) (aged 61)
Dundas, Ontario, Canada
CitizenshipBarbadian-Canadian
EducationQueen's University University of British Columbia
Known forDiscovery and naming of the gene Kaiso
AwardsOntario Premier Research Excellence Award, Vice-Chancellor Award from the University of the West Indies
Scientific career
FieldsCancer biology
WorkplacesSt. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Vanderbilt University

Juliet Michelle Daniel (September 19, 1964 – April 28, 2026) was a Barbadian-Canadian biology professor at McMaster University, where her research focused on cancer biology. Daniel is recognized in the cancer biology field for the discovery and naming of the gene Kaiso, and was the recipient of several prestigious awards in recognition of her research and leadership, including an Ontario Premier Research Excellence Award and a Vice-Chancellor Award from the University of the West Indies.

Education and career

Daniel was born in Barbados on September 19, 1964. In 1987, Daniel completed a bachelor's degree in life sciences at Queen's University, and then a PhD in microbiology at the University of British Columbia in 1993. Daniel completed post-doctoral research fellowships for three years at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and then followed her supervisor's move to Vanderbilt University, in Memphis, Tennessee, where she stayed for another three years.

During her fellowship, Daniel discovered the gene Kaiso, and named it after calypso (a popular form of Caribbean music). Daniel found that Kaiso transcriptionally regulates genes involved in cell proliferation and cell adhesion.

Following her post-doctoral fellowship, Daniel joined McMaster University's Department of Biology in November 1999, where she was a full professor. Prof. Daniel's lab studies triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), specifically to identify genetic risk factors which may explain the prevalence and high mortality associated with TNBC in women of African ancestry. In 2017, Prof. Daniel's lab demonstrated that Kaiso plays a role in the proliferation and survival of TNBC cells.

Daniel's research has been cited more than 4,000 times and she has an h-index of 26. She has been recognized for her research and mentorship by multiple awards, including 100 Accomplished Black Canadian (ABC) Women, a BBPA Harry Jerome Innovation and Technology Award, YWCA Hamilton – Woman of Distinction Award and a Gold Crown of Merit for Cancer Research, Barbados National Honor. Daniel was most recently recognized with a WXN Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award.

She has received funding from both national and international agencies, including CIHR, NSERC and the US CDMRP (Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs) Breast Cancer IDEA Awards.

Daniel mentored African Caribbean students at McMaster University, and within the community of Hamilton. In 2006, Daniel co-founded the Canadian Multicultural LEAD Organization for Mentoring & Training.

Personal life

Daniel was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following treatment, she died on April 28, 2026, in Dundas, Ontario.

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 Forster, Victoria (May 16, 2026). "Researcher Juliet Daniel studied type of breast cancer disproportionately affecting Black women". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Dr. Juliet Daniel". Black In Canada. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Williams, Dawn P. (2006). Who's who in Black Canada 2: Black Success and Black Excellence in Canada : a Contemporary Directory. Who's Who in Black Canada. ISBN 9780973138429.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Cancer researcher lauded for her leadership". Ron Fanfair. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Dr. Juliet M. Daniel - Harry Jerome Awards". harryjeromeawards.com. Archived from the original on 2019-02-12. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mahoney, Jeff (2018-09-06). "Opinion | Dr. Juliet Daniel — inspiration personified". TheSpec.com. Archived from the original on 2019-01-25. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  7. 1 2 Daniel, Juliet M.; Reynolds, Albert B. (1999-05-01). "The Catenin p120 ctn Interacts with Kaiso, a Novel BTB/POZ Domain Zinc Finger Transcription Factor". Molecular and Cellular Biology. 19 (5): 3614–3623. doi:10.1128/MCB.19.5.3614. ISSN 0270-7306. PMC 84161. PMID 10207085.
  8. ↑ "Faculty - Department of Biology". Department of Biology. Archived from the original on 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  9. ↑ Best, Tony (April 30, 2017). "Bajan nears cure for breast cancer". www.nationnews.com. Archived from the original on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  10. 1 2 3 "Cancer biologist Juliet Daniel honoured with Harry Jerome Award". brighterworld.mcmaster.ca. April 24, 2017. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  11. ↑ Bassey-Archibong, Blessing I; Rayner, Lyndsay G A; Hercules, Shawn M; Aarts, Craig W; Dvorkin-Gheva, Anna; Bramson, Jonathan L; Hassell, John A; Daniel, Juliet M (March 2017). "Kaiso depletion attenuates the growth and survival of triple negative breast cancer cells". Cell Death & Disease. 8 (3): e2689. doi:10.1038/cddis.2017.92. ISSN 2041-4889. PMC 5386582. PMID 28333150.
  12. ↑ "Juliet Daniel - Google Scholar Citations". scholar.google.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  13. ↑ "Dr. Juliet Daniel (Hamilton, Ontario) | 100ABCWomen".
  14. ↑ https://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/articles/mcmaster-shines-at-ywca-women-of-distinction-awards-gala/ http://www.uwitorontogala.org/honorees/dr-juliet-daniel
  15. ↑ "Top 100 Award Winners 2020 - WXN".
  16. ↑ "The UWI 2021 Honorary Graduands | UWI Open Campus".
  17. ↑ "Top 100 Award Winners 2020 - WXN".
  18. ↑ @jca_president (15 February 2020). "The @JCA_Ontario Women's Committee is proud to be celebrating our 20th anniversary International Women's Day brunch…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. 1 2 3 https://ca.linkedin.com/in/juliet-daniel-a6302744 [self-published source]
  20. ↑ "Bentley launches teaching award at McMaster". dailynews.mcmaster.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-06.
  21. ↑ "Biology professor receives African-Canadian Achievement Award". dailynews.mcmaster.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-06.