Professor Gerhard van der Horst (middle) with the President of the RSSAF, Prof Lesley Cornish (left) and the Vice-President of the RSSAF, Prof Rushdi Hendricks (right). Image: Supplied

More than four decades of scientific research, international collaboration and postgraduate training have earned Professor Gerhard van der Horst, Emeritus Professor at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), election to the Royal Society of South Africa (RSSAF) Fellowship.

Prof van der Horst’s election recognised more than 40 years of research, spanning human fertility, wildlife conservation and sperm analysis technology that was internationally used, as well as his contribution to the development of generations of reproductive biology researchers at UWC.

The Fellowship recognises scientific excellence and significant contributions to scholarship. For Prof van der Horst, the honour reflects not only his research achievements, but also the postgraduate research programme he helped build at UWC and the generations of scientists who have continued to advance the field.

His election followed a nomination by four existing Fellows and a successful ballot among the Society’s Fellowship.

“I was very happy that at least some Fellows saw my nomination and election as very much overdue. This was indeed a great honour for me, and I was greatly appreciative that my work over more than 40 years has been recognised,” he said.

The Royal Society of South Africa brings together scholars across disciplines, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. Its Fellowship recognises researchers for excellence in their fields and their broader contributions to science in South Africa and internationally.

According to the Society’s communication to Prof van der Horst, it had approximately 235 Fellows across these disciplines at the time of his election.

Recognition from a multidisciplinary community makes the distinction particularly meaningful for him.

“The Fellowship is very special since it is only bestowed on very few scientists for excellence in contributing to their field, but also for the role played in a broad context in South Africa and abroad,” he said.

The selection process also made the achievement especially significant. Four Fellows had to support his nomination before it proceeded through the Society’s Council and to a ballot of existing Fellows, with more than 75% support required for election.

“This was possibly one of the ways my very hard work was recognised,” he said. “The scrutiny to become a Fellow is tough.”

He added that he felt “mighty proud”, while acknowledging that the achievement would not have been possible without the support of his co-researchers and UWC.

An NRF B-rated scientist, Professor van der Horst has published more than 140 peer-reviewed papers, contributed to five book chapters and supervised more than 50 master’s and doctoral students. His research has examined sperm physiology, biochemistry, structure and movement across a wide range of animal species, in addition to humans.

One of his significant contributions has been the development of computer-aided sperm motility analysis (CASA) software, which has enabled researchers to measure and analyse sperm motility objectively. The technology remains widely used, and he currently serves as a senior consultant to Microptic SL in Barcelona, contributing to the continued development of computer-aided sperm analysis.

His research also has important implications for wildlife conservation. He has helped develop techniques for preserving sperm from several South African antelope species and the African buffalo, contributing to research that supports wildlife conservation and captive-breeding programmes. He is currently involved in research investigating the cryopreservation of sperm from three endangered stingray species at uShaka Marine World in Durban.

Having studied sperm biology in approximately 120 animal species, Prof van der Horst has built an international reputation through his research, collaborations and scientific training. He has presented more than 250 conference papers and delivered workshops and lectures in more than 45 countries. He has also twice received UWC’s Senior Research Award and served twice as president of the Physiology Society of Southern Africa.

Prof van der Horst joined UWC in 1981 as head of the then Department of Physiology. Over nearly 45 years, he has witnessed and contributed to the University’s transformation, building a research programme that established UWC as a recognised centre for reproductive biology.

His memories of the University include both the challenges of apartheid-era South Africa and the intellectual freedom he found at UWC.

“The 80s and 90s were both good and difficult times at UWC,” he said. “It was the only academic institution I attended in those days that allowed me to say what I wanted when I wanted, as long as one was respectful.”

He recalled how his experiences at the University helped him better understand the country and its people, while providing an environment in which he could grow academically.

In the early 1990s, Prof van der Horst led a group of approximately 12 postgraduate students working in comparative spermatology. The programme grew into an internationally connected research hub, with graduates now occupying positions in universities, research institutions and fertility clinics in South Africa and abroad.

He identifies building this postgraduate programme as one of his proudest achievements.

“There are too many things to be proud of,” he said, “but possibly the best was to build the best postgraduate reproductive biology programme in South Africa since the late 1980s and be recognised internationally.”

He also recognised the importance of passing leadership to the next generation. Professor Liana Maree, who completed her PhD under his supervision and is now a professor in UWC’s Department of Medical Biosciences, took over leadership of the laboratory in 2013. He remained involved in research discussions, postgraduate training and collaboration.

For Prof van der Horst, the programme’s success is a collective achievement, built through the contributions of students, colleagues and institutional support.

Despite the personal significance of the Fellowship, Prof van der Horst is clear that his achievements cannot be separated from the people who have supported his career.

“I feel mighty proud, but at the same time would not have been able to do it without the amazing support of my co-researchers as well as the support of UWC at many levels,” he said.