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Getting to know PLOS Mental Health: Psychiatry

Karli Montague-Cardoso Meet Your Editor Mental Health PLOS Mental Health
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In our latest ‘Getting to know PLOS Mental Health‘ blog, we speak to Dr Joseph El-Khoury (Dubai), who co-leads our Psychiatry section alongside Professor Lianne Schmaal (Australia) and Professor Rodrigo Bressan (Brazil). We learn more about his experience and expertise, why he joined the journal, and his hopes for how the section will take shape as the journal continues to develop.

Please tell us a little about yourself

[JE]: I am a Consultant psychiatrist and Medical Director based in Dubai. I founded The Valens Clinic in 2023 to provide the model of mental health care I believe in for the community of the UAE where I have been a resident for the past 4 years. In parallel I am an Assistant Professor of psychiatry at United Arab Emirates University in Al-Ain where I am involved in research and education. My trajectory has taken me through several countries. I trained mostly in the United Kingdom where I worked in the National Health Service. In 2012 I moved to Lebanon where I am originally from and joined university hospitals in mixed academic-clinical positions. I was an attending physician and director of residency at the American University of Beirut from 2017 to 2021. I have also served as president of the Lebanese Psychiatric Society and currently serve as Financial Officer of the Middle Eastern Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. My move to the United Arab Emirates was prompted by the deteriorating security and economic conditions in Lebanon. I am a strong advocate for destigmatizing psychiatry in the way we practice it and the way we talk about it. 

Copyright: Joseph El-Khoury


What are your main areas of interest?

[JE] I am an adult and substance use psychiatrist by training. A significant portion of my academic interest has revolved around general psychiatric, addiction and dual diagnosis themes. Due to my own personal experience growing up amidst a raging civil war I am also drawn to conflict medicine, trauma and advancing the understanding of the impacts of war and mass violence on individuals and societies. In 2019 I completed an MSc in War and Psychiatry at King’s College London, which led to a number of projects related to this topic, in particular in civilians and paramilitary veterans. More recently I joined the International Institute of Geopsychiatry and have been dedicating time and effort to further this nascent discipline, which emphasizes the understated importance of geopolitical factors in how mental health presents and is being addressed. Overall my work has culminated in more than 60 peer-reviewed publications.

Due to my own personal experience growing up amidst a raging civil war I am also drawn to conflict medicine, trauma and advancing the understanding of the impacts of war and mass violence on individuals and societies.

Why did you agree to join PLOS Mental Health as a Section Editor?

[JE] I have been a reviewer and on the editorial board of a number of journals over the years. As such I have been exposed to the challenges faced by authors and also by reviewers. I believe that there are major gaps in the psychiatric literature that were unlikely to be filled by already established journals. The values and perspective embodied in the leadership and vision of PLOS Mental Health made it an easy decision for me. So far the experience has been very positive and the journal is living true to its mission of inclusivity and also its focus on research and opinions that are of true benefit to clinicians, academics and, most importantly, patients/individuals from across the world. 

The values and perspective embodied in the leadership and vision of PLOS Mental Health made it an easy decision for me [to join]…the journal is living true to its mission of inclusivity and also its focus on research and opinions that are of true benefit to clinicians, academics and most importantly patients/individuals from across the world. 

What kind of submissions would you like to see in the Psychiatry section/what do you think are the most pressing questions of your field at the moment?

[JE] Mental Health in general and psychiatry more specifically are some of the most challenged and unfortunately still controversial topics. Authors should be looking to answer the questions that are on everybody’s mind and not settle for convenience. Topics such as trauma in conflict zones, the interface between psychiatry and psychology, the understanding of placebo effect etc.. are all still very current in addition to the novel therapeutics and models of care. I particularly encourage transnational collaborations, especially amongst LMICs (Low- and Middle-Income Countries) as it allows the combination of scarce resources allowing for better quality research. Only by globalizing research will be we have a truly globally valid psychiatry.

Authors should be looking to answer the questions that are on everybody’s mind and not settle for convenience

You can take a look at all of our Articles here. Some of our Psychiatry highlights include:

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