Position: Associate Professor and Chairperson - School of Natural Medicine
Tel: +27 (0)21 959 9599
Email: kleisegang@uwc.ac.za

Biography

Prof Kristian Leisegang is an Associate Professor and Chairperson of the School of Natural Medicine (SoNM) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). He obtained his Master of Technology in Homoeopathy (M.Tech.Hom) in 2007 from the Durban University of Technology, and completed a PhD in Medical Bioscience at UWC in 2014. He is a registered homoeopathic practitioner with the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA), Department of Health. 

His academic contributions are further supported by a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Studies (Teaching and Learning), which he completed at UWC in 2015. He also holds certifications in Health Data Analysis, Good Clinical Practice, Values-Based Leadership, and Randomised Clinical Trials, amongst others. He further currently serves as the Chairperson of the UWC Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (BMREC), where he supports the ethical oversight of student and staff research activities.

Prof Leisegang coordinates the Clinical Science training modules at SoNM, teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students in pathology, general medicine, clinical diagnostics, alongside research methodology. His postgraduate supervision includes completed and ongoing MSc and PhD students in Medical Bioscience, Sports Science and Public Health. His primary research interests focus on male reproductive health in the context of obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress. He also investigates the potential of nutritional supplements, antioxidants, and traditional medicinal herbs as novel therapeutic interventions.

Prof Leisegang has authored over 55 peer-reviewed journal articles and academic book chapters, with over 25 presentations at national and international academic meetings. His scholarly work has been recognised through both institutional and international research awards. He is a peer-review expert for more than 30 international journals, including an Academic Editor for the journal Andrologia, and actively contributes to the development of research quality and integrity within the faculty. Prof Leisegang has previously collaborated as a faculty member and research mentor with the American Centre for Reproductive Medicine (Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA), and continues to engage in collaborative international research projects with colleagues from North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Beyond academia, he has a strong history of professional service, having served as a regional and national representative of the Homoeopathic Association of South Africa (HSA). He has contributed to public education through articles in commercial publications, public presentations and represented both UWC and the HSA in television and radio interviews on health-related topics. Recently, this further includes eBook and podcasts on research focus in male testosterone (hypogonadism), herbal medicine, and sexual dysfunction. 

Further information can be found at ResearchGate, LinkedIn and Google Scholar 

Publications

Recent Peer Reviewed Scientific Publications (2022 - 2025)
 

• Mottola F, Finelli R, Feola V, Leisegang K, Rocco L. 2025. The influence of small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC)15 on male primary infertility: A case study. Case Reports in Medicine [Accepted and in press April 2025]
• Tendwa B, Morris A, Opuwari CS, Leisegang K, Finelli R, Zenoaga-Barbăroșie C, Henkel R. Aqueous extractions of Mondia whitei root improve human sperm function in vitro. South African Journal of Botany 2024;171:77-84. doi: doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2024.05.055. [Journal IF = 3.1]
• Leisegang K, Finelli R, Henkel R, Zenoaga-Barbăroșie C. The effect of aqueous Lessertia frutescens extract on TM3 Leydig cells exposed to TNF-α in vitro. Frontiers in BioScience Landmark 2023;28(9):213. doi: 10.31083/j.fbl2809213. [Journal IF = 4.0]
• Leisegang K, Opuwari CS, Moichela F, Finelli R. Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines in the Treatment of Ejaculatory Disorders: A Systematic Review. Medicina 2023;59(9):1607. doi: 10.3390/medicina59091607. [Journal IF = 2.6]
• Leisegang K, Finelli R, Moungala L, Moichela F, Pearce K, Ramasamy R, Henkel R. The impact of COVID-19 vaccines on male semen parameters: A retrospective cohort study. Andrologia 2023. Article ID: 7826568. doi: 10.1155/2023/7826568 [Journal IF = 2.8]
• Hansen A, Engel-Hills P, Jacobs C, Blitz J, Cooke R, Hess L, Leisegang K, Naidoo N, Volschenk M, van Schalkwyk S. Understandings and practices: Towards socially responsive curricula for the health professions. Advances in Health Sciences Education 2023;28:1131-1149. doi: 10.1007/s10459-023-10207-0 [Journal IF: 3.8]
• Majzoub A, Elbardisi H, Madani S, Leisegang K, Mahdi M, Agarwal A, Henkel R, Khalafalla K, ElSaid S, Arafa M. Impact of body composition analysis on male sexual function: A metabolic age study. Frontiers in Endocrinology 2023;13:1050441. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1050441 [Journal IF: 5.6]
• Agarwal A, Cannarella R, Saleh R, Boitrelle F, Gül M, Toprak T, Salvio G, Arafa M, Russo GI, Harraz AM, Singh R, Garrido N, Hamoda TAA, Rambhatla A, Kavoussi P, Kuroda S, Çalik G, Saini P, Ceyhan E, Dimitriadis F, Henkel R, Crafa A, Palani A, Duran MB, Maziotis E, Saïs É, Bendayan M, Darbandi M, Le TV, Gunes S, Tsioulou P, Sengupta P, Hazir B, Çeker G, Darbandi S, Durairajanayagam D, Aghamajidi A, Alkhalidi N, Sogutdelen E, Leisegang K, et al. Impact of varicocele repair on semen parameters in infertile men: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World Journal of Men’s Health 2023;41(2):289-310. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.220142. [Journal IF = 6.5]
• Daniels CC, Isaacs Z, Finelli R, Leisegang K. The efficacy of Zingiber officinale on dyslipidaemia, blood pressure, and inflammation as cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN 2022;51:72-82. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.08.031 [Journal IF = 2.4]
• Leisegang K, Finelli R, Sikka SC, Panner Selvam MK. Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) improves serum total testosterone in men: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Medicina 2022;58(8):1047. doi: 1648-9144/58/8/104 [Journal IF = 2.6] [Special Issue: Obesity and Inflammation: Epidemiology, Risk, Factors, and Markers of Inflammation]
• Sadeghi N, Tavalaee M, Shahverdi A, Sengupta P, Leisegang K, Saleh R, Agarwal A, Nasr-Esfahani M-H. Vulnerability of the male reproductive system to SARS-CoV-2 invasion: Potential role for the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone Grp78/HSPA5/BiP. Cell Journal 2022;24(8):427-433.  doi: 10.22074/cellj.2022.8312. [Journal IF = 2.4]
• Henkel R, Morris A, Vogiatzi  P, Saleh R, Sallam H, Boitrelle F, Garrido N, Arafa  M, Gül , M, Rambhatla A, Rosas IM, Agarwal  A, Leisegang  K, Siebert TI. Predictive value of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) analysis for reproductive outcomes of ICSI cycles. Reproductive Biomedicine Online 2022;45(5):1007-1020. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.05.010. [Journal IF = 3.8]
• Leisegang K. Oxidative stress in men with obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus: mechanisms and management of reproductive dysfunction. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 2022;1358:237-256.  doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-89340-8_11 [Journal Published Book Chapter] [Journal IF = 2.6]
• Agarwal A, Finelli R, Durairajanayagam D, Leisegang K, Henkel R, Salvio G, Aghamajidi A, Sengupta P, Crisóstomo L, Tsioulou PA, Roychoudhury S, Finocchi F, Darbandi M, Mottola F, Darbandi S, Iovine C, Santonastaso M, Zaker H, Kesari KK, Nomanzadeh A, Gugnani N, Rambhatla A, Duran MB, Ceyhan E, Kandil H, Arafa M, Saleh R, Shah R, Ko E, Boitrelle F. Comprehensive analysis of global research on human varicocele: a scientometric approach. World Journal of Men’s Health 2022;40(4):636-652. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.210202. [Journal IF = 6.5]
• Gupta S, Sharma R, Agarwal A, Boitrelle F, Finelli R, Farkouh A, Saleh R, Abdel-Meguid TA, Gül M, Zilaitiene B, Ko E, Rambhatla A, Zini A, Leisegang K, Kuroda S, Henkel R, Cannarella R, Palani A, Cho CL, Ho CCK, Zylbersztejn DS, Pescatori E, Chung E, Dimitriadis F, Pinggera GM, Busetto GM, Balercia G, Salvio G, Colpi GM, Çeker G, Taniguchi H, Kandil H, Park HJ, Maldonado Rosas I, de la Rosette J, Cardoso JPG, Ramsay J, Alvarez J, Molina JMC, Khalafalla K, Bowa K, Tremellen K, Evgeni E, Rocco L, Rodriguez Peña MG, Sabbaghian M, Martinez M, Arafa M, Al-Marhoon MS, Tadros N, Garrido N, Rajmil O, Sengupta P, Vogiatzi P, Kavoussi P, Birowo P, Kosgi R, Bani-Hani S, Micic S, Parekattil S, Jindal S, Le TV, Mostafa T, Toprak T, Morimoto Y, Malhotra V, Aghamajidi A, Durairajanayagam D, Shah R. Antisperm antibody testing: A comprehensive review of its role in the management of immunological male infertility and results of a global survey of clinical practices. World Journal of Men’s Health 2022;40(3):380-398.  doi: 10.5534/wjmh.210164. [Journal IF = 6.5]
• Leisegang K, Jimenez M, Durairajanayagam D, Finelli R, Majzoub A, Henkel R, Agarwal A. A systematic review of herbal medicine in the clinical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Phytomedicine Plus 2022;2(1):100153. doi: 10.1016/j.phyplu.2021.100153
• Agarwal A, Sharma RK, Gupta S, Boitrelle F, Finelli R, Parekh N, Durairajanayagam D, Saleh R, Arafa M, Cho CL, Farkouh A, Rambhatla A, Henkel R, Vogiatzi P, Tadros N, Kavoussi P, Ko E, Leisegang K, Kandil H, Palani A, Salvio G, Mostafa T, Rajmil O, Banihani SA, Schon S, Le TV, Birowo P, Çeker G, Alvarez J, Molina JMC, Ho CCK, Calogero AE, Khalafalla K, Duran MB, Kuroda S, Colpi GM, Zini A, Anagnostopoulou C, Pescatori E, Chung E, Caroppo E, Dimitriadis F, Pinggera GM, Busetto GM, Balercia G, Elbardisi H, Taniguchi H, Park HJ, Maldonado Rosas I, de la Rosette J, Ramsay J, Bowa K, Simopoulou M, Rodriguez MG, Sabbaghian M, Martinez M, Gilani MAS, Al-Marhoon MS, Kosgi R, Cannarella R, Micic S, Fukuhara S, Parekattil S, Jindal S, Abdel-Meguid TA, Morimoto Y, Shah R. Sperm vitality and necrozoospermia: Diagnosis, management, and results of a global survey of clinical practice. World Journal of Men’s Health 2022;40(2):228-242. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.210149. [Journal IF = 6.5]
• Majzoub A, Arafa M, Clemens H, Imperial J, Leisegang K, Khalafalla K, Agarwal A, Henkel R, Elbardisi H. A systemic review and meta-analysis exploring the predictors of sperm retrieval in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia and chromosomal abnormalities. Andrologia 2022;54(3):e14303. doi: 10.1111/and.14303. [Journal IF = 2.8]
• Finelli R, Leisegang K, Kandil H, Agarwal A. Oxidative stress: A comprehensive review of biochemical, molecular, and genetic aspects in the pathogenesis and management of varicocele. World Journal of Men’s Health 2022;40(1):87-103. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.210153. [Journal IF = 6.5] 

Peer Reviewed Accredited Academic Book Chapters 
 

• Moichela FT, Henkel RR, Leisegang K. 2024. Seminal oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species testing. In: Male Infertility: Management of Infertile Men in Reproductive Medicine. Ed: Agarwal A, Boitrelle F, Drakopoulos A, Sallam H, Saleh R. Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Pp 157-174. ISBN: 9780323930475.
• Leisegang K. 2021. Herbal Pharmacognosy: An Introduction. In: Herbal Medicine in Andrology. Ed: Agarwal A, Henkel R. Academic Press, Cambridge, MA, USA: pp 17 – 26. ISBN: 9780128155653/60.
• Erasmus LJC and Leisegang K. 2021. Herbal medicines (Zingiber officinale and Epimedium grandiflorum) used to treat andrological problems: Asia and Indian subcontinent. In: Herbal Medicine in Andrology. Ed: Agarwal A, Henkel R. Academic Press, Cambridge, MA, USA: pp 123 – 128. ISBN: 9780128155653/60.
• Leisegang K. 2021. Herbal medicines used to treat andrological problems: Europe (Pinnus pinaster and Urtica dioica). In: Herbal Medicine in Andrology. Ed: Agarwal A, Henkel R. Academic Press, Cambridge, MA, USA: pp 165 – 175. ISBN: 9780128155653/60.
• Agarwal A, Leisegang K, Sengupta P. 2020. Oxidative stress in the pathology of male reproductive pathology. In: Pathology: Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants. Ed: Preedy VR. Academic Press, Cambridge, MA, USA: pp 15 – 27. ISBN: 9780128159729
• Henkel R, Leisegang K. 2020. Origins of sperm DNA damage. In: Male Infertility: Contemporary Clinical Approaches, Andrology, ART and Antioxidants, 2nd Edition. Ed: Parekattil SJ, Esteves S, Agarwal A. Springer, Berlin, Germany: pp 361-375. ISBN: 978-3-030-32300-4.
• Leisegang K, Henkel R 2020. Environmental factors. In: Male Infertility: Contemporary Clinical Approaches, Andrology, ART and Antioxidants, 2nd Edition. Ed: Parekattil SJ, Esteves S, Agarwal A. Springer, Berlin, Germany: pp 361-375. ISBN: 978-3-030-32300-4.
• Leisegang K, Henkel R. 2019. Oxidative stress: Relevance, evaluation, and management. In: Male Infertility in Reproductive Medicine. Ed: Rizk B, Agarwal A, Sabanegh ES. CRC Press Taylor and Francis Group, New York, USA: pp 119 – 128.  ISBN-10: 1138599298.
• Leisegang K, Dutta S. 2019. Lifestyle management approaches to male infertility. In: Male Infertility in Reproductive Medicine. Ed: Rizk B, Agarwal A, Sabanegh ES. CRC Press Taylor and Francis Group, New York, USA: pp 141 – 152.  ISBN-10: 1138599298.
• Leisegang K. 2019. Malnutrition and obesity. In: Oxidants, Antioxidants and Impact of the Oxidative Status in Male Reproduction. Ed: Henkel R, Samanta L, Agarwal A. Academic Press, London, UK: pp 117 – 134.  ISBN: 9780128125014.
• Leisegang K. 2019. Life under aerobic conditions. In: Oxidants, Antioxidants and Impact of the Oxidative Status in Male Reproduction. Ed: Henkel R, Samanta L, Agarwal A. Academic Press, London, UK: pp 3 – 8.  ISBN: 9780128125014.

Networks

Kristian has international collaborations with researchers from numerous countries, including Iran, Italy, India, Malaysia, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Kingdom and the USA. Most prominently, this includes research and teaching collaborations with the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA.

Position: Lecturer and Phytotherapy Coordinator - School of Natural Medicine
Tel: +27 (0)21 959 3886
Email: jcampbell@uwc.ac.za

Biography

James Campbell was born on the 15th January 1964 in Glasgow, Scotland and later moved to Cape Town, South Africa just before he was three years of age with his parents having immigrated to this country. After having attended Parow Central Primary and Fairmont High School and working in entirely different fields, the intuitive fascination with plants as intellectual beings and what part they play in the health and wellbeing of the human race (and the earth as a whole), started to consciously come to the fore.

He completed a four-year diploma in Phytotherapy obtained from the College of Phytotherapy (Herbal Medicine) England, which formed the academic foundation to further feed the desire for knowledge and understanding of herbal medicine / medicinal plants, their healing ability, nutritional value, safety and so forth. Furthermore, he completed his MSc (Cum Laude) through the South African Herbal Science and Medicine Institute (SAHSMI), Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and is currently busy with a PhD at the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, UWC.

The topic for his master’s was ‘The impact of storage time and seasonal harvesting on biomarker levels of Lessertia frutescens’ and at present he is investigating the impact climate change may have on an indigenous medicinal plant of South Africa for his PhD, titled ‘The impact of drought and salinity on physiology and antioxidant activity in Leonotis leonurus’.

He was the Director of the School of Natural Medicine (SoNM), Faculty of Community and Health Sciences at UWC for 11 years, as well as the Coordinator of the Phytotherapy programme. Having stepped down from Directorship in order to focus on professional and personal development, he remains the Coordinator of the Phytotherapy programme for SoNM. Balancing leadership of SoNMl, coordinating the Phytotherapy programme, coordinating the community engagement initiatives for the School, full time lecturing and supervising at the clinics, serving as a board member on the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA), with private practice and postgraduate part-time studies has been an enlightening, life changing and rewarding experience.

He has attended many national and international conferences/seminars pertaining to traditional medicine either in China, India or South Africa, either as session chair or keynote speaker. Three stand out events for him was the signing of Memorandum of Understanding: Central Council for research in Unani Medicine, Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi / University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Republic of South Africa, Signed in New Dehli on the 06 August 2010.

Hands down his favourite subject is materia medica, taught to the B Complementary Medicines (Phytotherapy) fourth- and fifth-year students, as well as herbal medicine lectured to the Naturopathic fourth year students. Other focal areas are herbal pharmacology, herbal pharmacy, herbal nutrition, preventative medicine, diet and lifestyle, environmental influences on plants and their constituents, as well as energetics. The ‘bigger picture’, the philosophy of the ‘whole is greater than the sum of its parts’ and wisdom from a diversity of ancestors - how does it all tie in to our physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Believing education plays a fundamental role in achieving a greater understanding and possible commitment and accountability as an individual for one’s own healthcare. Yet how is this achieved while communities throughout South Africa living in rural areas, low cost housing developments and informal settlements on the outskirts of towns and cities are being adversely affected by the increased number of illnesses presenting. While the world today strives towards globalization and becoming more similar through this process, simultaneously it continues to increase in diversity. One would need to understand the complications of the illness, the environment, possible nutritional application and food/medicinal gardens concepts, while educating that without the natural world, environment and the plant world who knows until it is possibly too late.

Publications

• Wang Heyu，MA Xuesheng，LI Chunna，Campbell James. Optimum Extraction Process of Luteoloside and Oleuropein in Olea Europaea Subsp. Africana. Journal of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,18(5):72