Juliet Daniel

Juliet Daniel is a Professor in the Department of Biology at McMaster University, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and one of Canada’s Top Black Innovators in Research and Medicine. Her internationally recognized program dissects the POZ-ZF transcription factor Kaiso in triple-negative breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and racial disparities, integrating cell adhesion, Wnt signaling, and epigenetic regulation.

Education:

• PhD Microbiology, University of British Columbia (1993)
• BSc Life Sciences, Queen’s University (1987)

Research Interests:

Daniel’s laboratory deciphers how Kaiso and p120-catenin govern epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, stem-cell fate, and inflammation in the intestine and mammary gland. A major focus is the alarming prevalence and aggressive biology of triple-negative breast cancer in women of African ancestry, revealing Kaiso-driven transcriptional networks that potentiate tumor growth, chemoresistance, and metastatic dissemination while also interrogating the intersection of DNA methylation and canonical/non-canonical Wnt signals.

Recent work defines Kaiso target-gene signatures predictive of survival in invasive lobular carcinoma, uncovers BRCA1-Kaiso enhanceosome control of RNA splicing in colorectal carcinoma, and models Kaiso-induced inflammatory bowel disease that escalates tumorigenesis in ApcMin/+ mice. Parallel genomic analyses of Barbadian and Nigerian TNBC cohorts expose ancestry-specific mutation landscapes, providing biomarkers for precision oncology and underscoring the need for population-tailored screening guidelines.

Scientific Awards & Recognition:

• Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS)
• Canada’s Top Black Innovator in Research and Medicine, Government of Canada

Teaching & Mentorship:

She instructs core undergraduate courses (Advanced Cell Biology, Scientific Method in Biology, Independent Research Project, Senior Thesis) and has mentored numerous honors and graduate students, fostering inclusive excellence in STEM.

Funding & Teams:

While specific current grants are not listed, her prolific output and continuous federal and institutional support enable an active laboratory with domestic and international trainees and collaborators spanning oncology, genomics, and bioinformatics.