Despite increased awareness and novel therapies in the past three decades, cancer is a leading cause of death globally.

Researchers around the world are looking for the reasons why and have found that some populations are affected more than others.

The World Health Organization, GloboCan and other organizations have reported disparities in cancer burden and poor outcomes for people of African ancestry, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

That’s the motivation behind Prof. Juliet Daniel’s research — and the focus of the 2025-26 Brosnan Lecture.

Hosted by the Department of Human Biosciences, in the Faculty of Science, the upcoming Brosnan Lecture is taking place on Monday, March 9.

Dr. Daniel is a Distinguished University Professor in biology at McMaster University and the Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research. She is also a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and co-founder of the Canadian Black Scientists Network. 

“My research seeks to understand the molecular genetic basis of triple-negative breast cancer, a highly aggressive and metastatic breast cancer subtype with no targeted therapies that disproportionately impacts young premenopausal women of African ancestry/Black women,” said Dr. Daniels. “We also seek to determine if there is an underlying genetic susceptibility or predisposition to triple-negative breast cancer in women of African ancestry.”

In recognition of her research, Dr. Daniel has received several awards including a Black Excellence in STEM and Medicine Mentorship Award from the Canadian Black Scientists Network, an honorary doctor of science degree and Vice Chancellor’s Award from the University of the West Indies, and a Harry Jerome Innovation and Technology Award from the Black Business and Professional Association, among others. She was also named as ONYX Magazine Woman of the Year, and Women on the Move 2024 with a Cover Girl feature.

Challenging disparities

Existing research notes that disparities in cancer burden and poor outcomes for people of African ancestry are often observed in breast, prostate, colorectal, pancreatic and lung cancers, and multiple myeloma.

Most disparities research has focused on the aggressive and metastatic breast cancer subtype triple-negative breast cancer, which disproportionately impacts young Black women and for which there are no targeted therapies.

Prof. Daniel’s lab and others have found a significant correlation between high expression of the transcription factor Kaiso, tumour spread, poor prognosis and racial disparities in cancer incidence and mortality in people of African ancestry.

High Kaiso expression correlates with poor breast cancer outcomes in Black women and poor prostate cancer outcomes in Black men compared to white women and men respectively.

Kaiso acts as a gene regulator, meaning it typically tells cells to “turn on or off” certain genes. Located in the nucleus, Kaiso acts as a gatekeeper for which genetic information is used and when, and plays an important role in regulating cancer progression, cell division and developmental processes.

Little was known about this correlation before Prof. Daniel and colleagues analyzed cancerous tissues of Nigerian, Barbadian, African American and Caucasian American women.

When Prof. Daniel’s lab depleted Kaiso from triple-negative breast cancer cells and injected the Kaiso-depleted cells into the breasts of mice, the mice did not develop secondary tumours in vital organs such as the lungs or liver, compared to mice that were injected with triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing a lot of Kaiso. 

This suggests that Kaiso may be a risk factor for aggressive cancers in people of African ancestry or linked to an ancestral African genetic susceptibility for aggressive cancers.

‘Representation in research matters’

The investigation of the correlation between Kaiso and cancer spread has many potential benefits, says Dr. Daniel.

“Our research goal is to determine how Kaiso promotes tumour spread and aggressiveness regardless of ethnicity, and how it contributes to the racial disparities in cancer incidence and/or outcomes in Black people,” she said.

The Daniel Lab uses molecular cell biology, genomics, RNA-sequencing, tissue microarray and epidemiological approaches to research the effects of Kaiso.

Prof. Daniel first learnt about triple-negative breast cancer at an American Association of Cancer Research conference in 2008, during a keynote given by Dr. Lisa Newman, a Black oncologist and breast surgeon.

“I was genuinely surprised to discover that there was a breast cancer subtype that was disproportionately affecting young Black women and that was very prevalent in West Africa,” she said.

Three years later, during a research leave in 2011, Prof. Daniel started studying triple-negative breast cancer in West African and Caribbean women to determine if there was a genetic susceptibility to triple-negative breast cancer in Black women. 

“I had been doing cancer research for over 15 years and never heard a leading cancer biologist or oncologist speak about this at any conference. This is why representation in research matters.”

Generous gift

The Brosnan Lecture in Biochemistry was established through a generous gift from Dr. Sean Brosnan.

An accomplished educator and one of Memorial’s premier scientists and researchers, his gift enables the Department of Human Biosciences to invite an eminent biochemist to deliver one or more lectures on biochemical research or on the history of biochemistry on an annual basis.

The lecture, Dances of the Cure-abbean: Combatting Cancer Disparities in People of African Ancestry, takes place on Monday, March. 9, at 10 a.m. in room CSF-1302, Core Science Facility.

All are welcome.