Daniela Quail

Daniela Quail is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology at McGill University, affiliated with the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Centre. Her research focuses on the tumor microenvironment's role in cancer progression, particularly how chronic inflammation (e.g., obesity-induced systemic inflammation) and immune cell dynamics in the brain influence metastasis and tumor outcomes. She also explores the blood-brain barrier's disruption in gliomas and metastatic brain tumors.

Education:

• B.Sc., Ph.D., University of Western Ontario
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Research Interests: Her work combines two central themes: 1) obesity's impact on microenvironmental landscapes in secondary organs (lung, liver, brain, bone) to modulate metastasis efficiency; 2) immune cell infiltration in brain tumors (e.g., gliomas, lung cancer metastases) and their effects on tumor progression. Techniques include immunological and molecular profiling of tumor niches, and preclinical models to dissect inflammation-driven mechanisms.

Publications Overview: Her studies highlight obesity-driven myeloid cell alterations promoting lung metastasis via cytokines (e.g., IL5, GM-CSF), the role of cathepsin S in brain metastasis, and resistance mechanisms to CSF-1R inhibitors in gliomas. Her work bridges tumor biology with systemic inflammatory and immunological contexts.

Lab & Affiliations: Her lab is located in Room 411 of McGill’s Life Sciences Complex (address: 1160 Avenue Des Pins Ouest, Montréal).