Pioneer in nuclear medicine: Prof Mike Sathekge receives honorary doctorate from NWU
Professor Machaba Michael 'Mike' Sathekge.
South Africa should invest more in nuclear research if it wishes to remain globally competitive and fulfil its responsibility to meet the diverse needs of its communities. This was Professor Machaba Michael 'Mike' Sathekge's message when he received his honorary doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences
(Philosophiae Doctor, Honoris Causa)
from the North-West University (NWU) on Wednesday, 4 June.
He emphasised that the wide-ranging benefits of nuclear research in areas such as medical science, energy production, agriculture, food security and environmental sciences should be regarded as a national priority.
And he would know. A towering figure at the forefront of nuclear medicine, Prof Sathekge's career has reshaped the clinical and research landscape of cancer and infectious disease treatment in South Africa and beyond.
His contributions are both technical triumphs and deeply human victories.
Prof Sathekge was raised in Tembisa and later became a standout scholar in Soshanguve, where he achieved the best national results in mathematics. He trained as a medical doctor at Medunsa. He also earned his master's degree there and began his career in nuclear medicine. A scholarship then took him to Belgium, where he obtained a PhD in molecular imaging in TB and HIV.
On returning home, he became Head of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital. Under his leadership, a number of firsts have been achieved, including pioneering the use of Selective Internal Radiation Therapy for liver cancer in South Africa, to introducing novel therapies for prostate and neuroendocrine cancers using Lutetium-177 and Actinium-225. His work with PSMA-targeted therapies has gained global recognition, putting South African oncology research at the forefront of international clinical trials.
As President of NuMeRI, he leads the continent's only dedicated nuclear medicine research infrastructure, aligning science, health and policy. A prolific academic and dedicated mentor, Sathekge has supervised dozens of post-graduate students and authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications.
Awards and widespread respect have been bestowed on Sathekge, who exemplifies how locally rooted research can have a global impact. By fusing compassion with cutting-edge science, he has transformed South Africa's nuclear medicine capabilities and, crucially, improved patient outcomes. He has also challenged conventional care norms, introducing novel radiopharmaceutical theranostics, while maintaining an ethos of healing and academic integrity. Through these efforts, he has changed the way cancer is approached and treated.
Prof Sathekge is married to Dr Rachel Sathekge, an orthodontist, and the couple has two sons.
The NWU's honorary doctorate recognises not only his achievements, but also the future he continues to shape.
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• Watch an interview with Prof Sathekge and a video of the event
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