?Prof Karl Storbeck from the Department of Biochemistry in the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 delivered his inaugural lecture on Tuesday 20 May 2025. The title of his lecture was 'Beyond testosterone: redefining androgen biology in human health and disease'.
Storbeck spoke to the Corporate Communication and Marketing Division about how his research on steroid hormones can improve our understanding of their role in health and disease and help develop better diagnostics and treatment strategies.
Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field.
I was drawn to science from an early age and always knew I wanted to pursue a career in research. During my final years of high school, I was torn between my two favourite subjects: biology and chemistry. My decision became clear when, as a finalist in the high school science Olympiad, I attended an awards ceremony at the 中国体育彩票 of Pretoria, where I was first introduced to the subject of Biochemistry. It was clear to me that this subject perfectly combined my interests, and I vividly remember deciding then and there that I would pursue a PhD in Biochemistry. It was then, during my honours year at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票, that I was introduced to steroid hormone research, which soon became my passion and the focus of my scientific career.
How would you describe the relevance of your work?
My research focuses on the biosynthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones, which regulate key physiological processes, including metabolism, immune function, the stress response, and reproductive health. Steroid hormones are therefore not only vital in regulating physiological function in healthy individuals but also play a role in disease states (specific conditions in which the body is not functioning normally due to illness or injury). My group has been instrumental in elucidating the biosynthesis of a previously overlooked class of adrenal-derived steroid hormones, known as the 11-oxygenated androgens, in humans. By identifying 11-ketotestosterone and 11-ketodihydrotestosterone as potent androgens (hormones that play a key role in developing and maintaining male traits and reproductive health — also found in females), our work has challenged the long-established paradigm that testosterone and dihydrotestosterone are the only relevant androgens in humans.
Our findings have been widely accepted in the endocrine community and research on 11-oxygenated androgens has grown substantially. Notably, we and others have implicated 11-oxygenated androgens as role players in several disease states, including polycystic ovary syndrome (a disorder that affects how women's ovaries work), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (a group of genetic disorders that affect the adrenal glands, which produce important hormones), premature adrenarche (when children start showing signs of puberty earlier than usual), and castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC — a type of prostate cancer that keeps growing even when testosterone levels are very low or nearly zero). By studying the biosynthesis of these steroids and their role in health and disease, we can use this knowledge to develop improved diagnostics and treatment strategies.
How does your research shed light on castration-resistant prostate cancer and polycystic ovary syndrome?
Our research has shown that the previously overlooked 11-oxygenated androgens play a significant role in both disease states. Prostate cancer is an androgen dependent disease and as such, the primary treatment for advanced disease is androgen deprivation therapy by means of physical or chemical castration. While the cancer responds well to this lowering of circulating testosterone, invariably the disease returns in the form of CRPC. Here the tumour cells adapt to the lower circulating testosterone by expressing enzymatic machinery (group of enzymes and related proteins in the cell that work together to carry out specific biological processes) that allows them to convert circulating adrenal-derived androgen precursors to active androgens that drive the cancer's progression. Our research has shown that 11-oxygenated androgens contribute significantly to this adrenal-derived androgen pool and that they must be accounted for when considering future treatment strategies.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine condition affecting women, with a prevalence of 10%. While traditionally thought of as a reproductive disorder, it is now clear that PCOS is characterised by lifelong metabolic dysfunction (problems with how the body processes and uses energy), including increased risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidaemia (abnormal levels of lipids or fats in the blood), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic (an abnormal accumulation of fat) liver disease. This increased metabolic risk is driven by the excess androgen production that commonly occurs in women with PCOS. Our collaborative work, led by Prof Wiebke Arlt at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences in the United Kingdom, has shown that 11-oxygenated androgens contribute significantly to the hyperandrogenism (high levels of male hormones in the body) observed in PCOS and that these androgens likely contribute to driving the metabolic dysfunction.
Looking into your crystal ball, what developments do you see in the field of steroid hormone research?
Advances in mass spectrometry (scientific method used to identify and measure chemicals by looking at their molecular weight) have transformed our ability to quantify and profile steroid hormones, revealing the previously unappreciated complexity of human steroid biosynthesis and metabolism. In collaboration with Prof Jacky Snoep at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票, we are developing computational models of human steroid biosynthesis that, when combined with comprehensive steroid profiling, are already demonstrating promising predictive capabilities. I anticipate these models will serve as valuable tools in both research and clinical settings. My collaborator, Prof Wiebke Arlt, has played a key role in showing how steroid profiling data can be effectively paired with machine learning algorithms for diagnostic applications. As these technologies continue to evolve, I expect them to have a growing impact on clinical diagnostics and the advancement of personalised medicine.
You have spent many years in the challenging environment of higher education. What keeps you motivated when things get tough?
Although I'm naturally introverted, I've come to value collaboration and team science immensely. Being part of a supportive and intellectually stimulating team has helped keep me grounded and motivated during difficult times. I've also been incredibly fortunate to have the unwavering support of colleagues, friends and especially my wife — who I suspect had no idea what she was signing up for when she married an aspiring academic. Having a hobby outside of academia, specifically landscape photography, has also been invaluable for maintaining my perspective and mental health.
As the leader of a research group, what aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?
I'm driven by curiosity and a desire to understand how things work, so nothing excites me more than when my team or that of my collaborators generate new data that prompts discussion and discovery — especially if it's something that challenges an existing paradigm as I'm someone who likes to think outside the box and question established ideas. Being able to mentor students and witness their growth firsthand as scientists and people, is also an extremely rewarding part of what I do. Finally, as a firm believer in Team Science, I've been fortunate to be able to establish synergistic collaborations with clinical endocrinologists — thereby combining my fundamental biochemical insights with their clinical expertise, resulting in more impactful research outputs. Being able to contribute to research that helps us understand the human body and provide insights that will improve patient outcomes in future is a privilege and the most fulfilling part of what I do.
Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect.
Outside of science, my greatest passion is landscape photography. I've been known to hike up Lion's Head at 03:00 before work to catch the fog rolling into the city or stay up into the early hours to photograph the Milky Way. When others are avoiding adverse weather, my photography friends and I will be heading directly towards it. I'm fortunate that one of my best friends is a professional landscape photographer and I make it a priority to join on adventures whenever my schedule allows. I particularly enjoy planning specific images that we want to capture when conditions align, as these, much like a good result in the lab, are particularly rewarding when they materialise.
How do you spend your free time?
As an introvert, I like to recharge by spending time either at home with my wife and our feline child or immersed in nature, usually with my camera in hand. I'm a devoted Formula 1 fan, and race weekends are sacred downtime for me. Photography remains a top priority. Even when I don't feel like going out, I've learned that engaging in the process is always worth it as the mental focus required always helps clear my mind.
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