Willias Masocha

Willias Masocha is Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Kuwait University’s College of Pharmacy. He teaches neuropharmacology and neurobiology. He earned a BPharm (Hons) from the University of Zimbabwe and a PhD from the University of Granada, Spain. He was an IBRO Research Fellow and completed postdoctoral training at Karolinska Institutet, where he did research on the neuroimmunology of African trypanosomiasis. His current research focuses on neuropathic pain, particularly chemotherapy- and antiretroviral-induced pain, and the development of anti-inflammatory and analgesic therapies. His work emphasizes cannabinoids and modulation of the endocannabinoid system to achieve analgesia without psychoactive effects, alongside studies on neuroinflammation involving astrocyte and microglial activation. He received the  Distinguished Researcher Award in Basic and Applied Sciences of Kuwait University in 2025. Willias mentors young neuroscientists through IBRO schools, the Society of Neuroscientists of Africa, and the African School of Neuroimmunology. He is Editor-in-Chief of the African Brain Journal (recently launched), Editor of Medical Principles and Practice, and an Associate Editor of Frontiers in Neurology.