{{short description|Canadian biology professor}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Juliet Daniel | birth_date={{birth date|1964|9|19}} | birth_place=Barbados | death_date={{death date and age|2026|4|28|1964|9|19}} | death_place=Dundas, Ontario, Canada | known_for = Discovery and naming of the gene Kaiso | alma_mater = Queen's University University of British Columbia | website = | workplaces = St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital<br>Vanderbilt University | citizenship = Barbadian-Canadian | fields = Cancer biology | awards = Ontario Premier Research Excellence Award, Vice-Chancellor Award from the University of the West Indies }}
'''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.<ref name="globe" /> 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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.blackincanada.com/2010/12/21/juliet-daniel/|title=Dr. Juliet Daniel|work=Black In Canada|access-date=2018-10-04|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_UtdQ6NsvYkC&q=%22Juliet+Daniel%22+Canada&pg=PA111|title=Who's who in Black Canada 2: Black Success and Black Excellence in Canada : a Contemporary Directory|last=Williams|first=Dawn P.|date=2006|publisher=Who's Who in Black Canada|isbn=9780973138429|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ronfanfair.com/home/2019/2/6/6ez4u94nxgsx65pu5wiffbmcrul2nq|title=Cancer researcher lauded for her leadership|website=Ron Fanfair|date=6 February 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-07}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://harryjeromeawards.com/portfolio-posts/dr-juliet-m-daniel/|title=Dr. Juliet M. Daniel - Harry Jerome Awards|website=harryjeromeawards.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-04|archive-date=2019-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011500/https://harryjeromeawards.com/portfolio-posts/dr-juliet-m-daniel/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
During her fellowship, Daniel discovered the gene Kaiso, and named it after calypso (a popular form of Caribbean music).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last1=Daniel|first1=Juliet M.|last2=Reynolds|first2=Albert B.|date=1999-05-01|title=The Catenin p120 ctn Interacts with Kaiso, a Novel BTB/POZ Domain Zinc Finger Transcription Factor|journal=Molecular and Cellular Biology|language=en|volume=19|issue=5|pages=3614–3623|doi=10.1128/MCB.19.5.3614|issn=0270-7306|pmid=10207085|pmc=84161}}</ref> Daniel found that Kaiso transcriptionally regulates genes involved in cell proliferation and cell adhesion.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5" />
Following her post-doctoral fellowship, Daniel joined McMaster University's Department of Biology in November 1999, where she is now a full professor.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.biology.mcmaster.ca/faculty/|title=Faculty - Department of Biology|work=Department of Biology|access-date=2018-10-04|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801100006/http://www.biology.mcmaster.ca/faculty/|archive-date=2018-08-01|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/8882220-dr-juliet-daniel-inspiration-personified/|title=Opinion {{!}} Dr. Juliet Daniel — inspiration personified|last=Mahoney|first=Jeff|date=2018-09-06|work=TheSpec.com|access-date=2018-10-04|language=en-CA|archive-date=2019-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125092739/https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/8882220-dr-juliet-daniel-inspiration-personified/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/96286/bajan-nears-cure-breast-cancer|title=Bajan nears cure for breast cancer|last=author|first=Nation News|work=www.nationnews.com|access-date=2018-10-04|archive-date=2019-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044343/http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/96286/bajan-nears-cure-breast-cancer|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/cancer-biologist-juliet-daniel-honoured-with-harry-jerome-award/|title=Cancer biologist Juliet Daniel honoured with Harry Jerome Award|website=brighterworld.mcmaster.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-04}}</ref> In 2017, Prof. Daniel's lab demonstrated that Kaiso plays a role in the proliferation and survival of TNBC cells.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bassey-Archibong|first1=Blessing I|last2=Rayner|first2=Lyndsay G A|last3=Hercules|first3=Shawn M|last4=Aarts|first4=Craig W|last5=Dvorkin-Gheva|first5=Anna|last6=Bramson|first6=Jonathan L|last7=Hassell|first7=John A|last8=Daniel|first8=Juliet M|date=March 2017|title=Kaiso depletion attenuates the growth and survival of triple negative breast cancer cells|journal=Cell Death & Disease|language=En|volume=8|issue=3|pages=e2689|doi=10.1038/cddis.2017.92|pmid=28333150|pmc=5386582|issn=2041-4889}}</ref>
Daniel's research has been cited over 4,000 times and she has an h-index of 26.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=E-6bRBwAAAAJ&hl=en|title=Juliet Daniel - Google Scholar Citations|website=scholar.google.ca|access-date=2018-10-04}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.100abcwomen.ca/dr-juliet-daniel-hamilton-ontario/|title=Dr. Juliet Daniel (Hamilton, Ontario) | 100ABCWomen}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/cancer-biologist-juliet-daniel-honoured-with-harry-jerome-award/|title = Cancer biologist Juliet Daniel honoured with Harry Jerome Award}}</ref><ref>https://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/articles/mcmaster-shines-at-ywca-women-of-distinction-awards-gala/ http://www.uwitorontogala.org/honorees/dr-juliet-daniel</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://wxnetwork.com/page/2020Top100Winners | title=Top 100 Award Winners 2020 - WXN }}</ref>
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.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":6" />
Daniel mentored African Caribbean students at McMaster University, and within the community of Hamilton.<ref name=":1" /> In 2006, Daniel co-founded the Canadian Multicultural LEAD Organization for Mentoring & Training.<ref name=":6" />
== Personal life == Daniel was diagnosed with breast cancer.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":1" /> Following treatment, she died on April 28, 2026, in Dundas, Ontario.<ref name="globe">{{cite web|title=Researcher Juliet Daniel studied type of breast cancer disproportionately affecting Black women|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-juliet-daniel/|last=Forster|first=Victoria|date=May 16, 2026|publisher=The Globe and Mail|access-date=May 16, 2026}}</ref><ref name=":1" />
== Awards ==
* 2021 University of the West Indies (UWI) Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc), Cave Hill, Barbados <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.open.uwi.edu/graduation/uwi-2020-honorary-graduands|title=The UWI 2021 Honorary Graduands | UWI Open Campus}}</ref> * 2020 WXN Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award, Toronto, ON <ref>{{cite web | url=https://wxnetwork.com/page/2020Top100Winners | title=Top 100 Award Winners 2020 - WXN }}</ref> * 2020 International Women's Day “Black Women in STEM”, Jamaican Canadian Association, Toronto, ON <ref>{{cite tweet|number=1228549682491686913|user=jca_president|title=The @JCA_Ontario Women’s Committee is proud to be celebrating our 20th anniversary International Women’s Day brunch…<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=15 February 2020}}</ref> * 2019 Woman of Purpose Award, Elegant You Tea Party, Toronto, ON <ref name="ca.linkedin.com">https://ca.linkedin.com/in/juliet-daniel-a6302744 {{Self-published source|date=August 2022}}</ref> * 2019 University of the West Indies (UWI) Vice Chancellor's Award, Toronto, ON <ref name="ca.linkedin.com"/> * 2018 100 Accomplished Black Canadian (ABC) Women, 100ABC, Toronto, ON <ref name="ca.linkedin.com"/> * Harry Jerome Award (Category: Technology and Innovation) (2017).<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> * Ontario Premier's Excellence in Research Award.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/articles/bentley-launches-teaching-award-at-mcmaster/|title=Bentley launches teaching award at McMaster|website=dailynews.mcmaster.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-06}}</ref> * Barbados Honor Gold Crown of Merit.<ref name=":1" /> * National Ball Award.<ref name=":1" /> * John C. Holland Award (for Professional Achievement).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> * Gold Crown of Merit for Cancer Research Barbados National Honor, Barbados (2010); *Errol Walton Barrow Award of Excellence, Barbados Ball Canada Aid, Toronto (2009); *African Canadian Achievement Award of Excellence in Science, Toronto (2008)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/articles/biology-professor-receives-african-canadian-achievement-award/|title=Biology professor receives African-Canadian Achievement Award|website=dailynews.mcmaster.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-06}}</ref> *Minority Scholar Award, American Association for Cancer Research (2004); *Ontario Premier Research Excellence Award, McMaster (2001–2006); NSERC pre- (1989–91) & post- (1994–96) doctoral scholarships.<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Daniel, Juliet}} Category:1964 births Category:21st-century American biologists Category:Queen's University at Kingston alumni Category:University of British Columbia Faculty of Science alumni Category:Vanderbilt University alumni Category:Academic staff of McMaster University Category:Canadian cancer researchers Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American women biologists Category:Women cancer researchers Category:2026 deaths