Professor Lukoye Atwoli
Reshaping the Future of Mental Health
Professor Lukoye Atwoli is not just a Professor of
Psychiatry; he is a global force in mental health advocacy and academic leadership. As the Dean of the AKU Medical College, East Africa, he stands at the epicentre of a transformation that is setting unprecedented benchmarks for mental health care and research across Kenya, Africa and the world.
Professor Lukoye's exemplary contributions have earned him the highest levels of recognition, both nationally and internationally. In 2022, his dedication was formally recognised when he was honoured with the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear, one of Kenya's highest national honours.
His influence is deeply rooted in his research prowess. Acknowledged as a leading mind in psychiatric epidemiology, Professor Atwoli was included in Stanford University's 2024 list of the world's top 2% most-cited researchers. This distinction reflects an immense body of work, comprising over 150 publications in academic books and peer-reviewed journals. This stellar output previously earned him the title of Top Researcher in Medicine between 2021 and 2023, based on publications tracked by SciVal Scopus and organised by the Kenya Education Network Trust (KENET).
During his tenure as the former Dean of the Moi University School of Medicine, Professor Lukoye transformed the institution into a regionally leading research and graduate medical school. This success was driven by establishing robust collaborations and partnerships with academic medical centres in Africa, Europe, and the US, fundamentally changing the landscape of medical education in the region.
On the global stage, Professor Lukoye's work touches millions of lives. He is a vital member of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys Consortium, one of the world's leading projects in psychiatric epidemiology. Perhaps most impactful was his role as the Global Technical Director for citiesRISE – an ambitious global initiative focused on the mental health of young people. Working across diverse cities like Nairobi, Chennai, Bogotá, Seattle, and Sacramento, this effort strengthened connectedness, built resilience, improved coping skills, and ensured access to care.
In 2025, Professor Lukoye was formally handed the 2026 International Presidency of the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting. This marks only the second time this prestigious honour has transitioned to Africa, signalling a growing global trust in African health leadership. In accepting this role, Professor Lukoye reaffirmed AKU's collective commitment to championing transformative health systems and evidence-based solutions for the continent's most pressing health challenges.
Dedicated to nurturing the next generation of scholars, Professor Atwoli has also served as a Visiting Scientist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and an International Faculty Member at the Duke University Global Health Institute. He is a member of the US National Academy of Medicine and the Kenya National Academy of Sciences, and an International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He continues to personally mentor postgraduate students across Africa, the US, and Europe.
He has lent his expertise to various professional bodies, previously serving as the Vice President of the Kenya Medical Association and Secretary-General of the African Association of Psychiatrists, and President of the African College of Neuropsychopharmacology. He is currently the Vice-President of the World Psychiatric Association's Section on Epidemiology and Public Health. Prof Atwoli is also the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Alliance of Academic Health Centres International, and was co-chair of the Board on Global Health at the US National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
