Dr. Juliet Daniel

It is with immense sadness that our wonderful friend and colleague Dr. Juliet Daniel passed away on Tuesday, April 28th.

Juliet was an amazing friend, colleague, scientist, and tireless advocate to so many. She was an inspiration to everyone around her and enriched our department and lives with her warm smile, generosity, wit, and strength.

Juliet joined the Department of Biology at McMaster University as an Assistant Professor in 1999 after earning a Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia and completing a postdoc at Vanderbilt University. She was promoted to the rank of Full Professor in 2012.  She served as the Associate Dean of Research and External Relations for the Faculty of Science at McMaster from 2021-4 and was an Honorary Professor at the Caribbean Institute of Health Research, Barbados

Juliet was recognized on many occasions for her research and advocacy. Amongst her many accolades include election as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2022, and in 2025, she was appointed a Distinguished University Professor at McMaster – the premier designation at McMaster. Juliet trained an amazing group of successful students including dozens of undergraduates, over 20 MSc and PhD students, and over 20 Postdocs, Research Technicians, and Research Associates.

Juliet’s research centered on understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer, including colon cancer and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. Early in her career she cloned and characterized a gene called Kaiso, which a transcription factor that regulates genes involved in cell growth and adhesion. She named this gene after a popular music genre in Barbados, her country of origin. Her work showed that Kaiso plays a key role in the growth and survival of cancer cells, particularly in TNBC. Her research also explored genetic and molecular factors that explain why TNBC is more common and often more deadly in women of African ancestry, with a broader goal of developing targeted therapies and better screening methods. Juliet’s impactful research was in many ways emblematic of her tireless advocacy for underrepresented groups – work that has deeply impacted so many lives at McMaster and beyond. She will be very deeply missed.

Please find below a list of university resources.

• University’s Employee & Family Assistance Program through Telus Health, which can be accessed 24/7 by calling 1-833-366-4544 or visiting Employee and Family Assistance Program – Human Resources
• You may have access to mental health benefits through your extended health benefits. You can access your benefits through this link and selecting your employee group:  Compensation, Benefits & Retirement Plans – Human Resources
• The Chaplaincy Office help students, staff, and faculty with the challenges they experience. The Chaplaincy Centre offers spiritual guidance from three Christian Orientations: Ecumenical, Christian Reformed, and Catholic. However, we are available to anyone whether part of a religious community or not. Who We Are | McMaster Chaplaincy – McMaster Chaplaincy Centre
• Canadian Mental Health Association ( CMHA)- Hamilton How staff can also support a co-worker https://cmhahamilton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Workplace-MI-NTNL-brochure-2014-web.pdf
• Information about grief and loss- Grieving-NTNL-brochure-2014-web.pdf (cmhahamilton.ca)
• Bereavement, grief and loss resources located in the Hamilton area: https://spcch.org/bereavement-resources/