Professor Wesley van Hougenhouck-Tulleken is Head of the Division of Nephrology at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Pretoria, South Africa. A clinician–scientist with expertise in nephrology, genetics, infectious diseases, and immunology, he is dedicated to advancing kidney care in Africa by bridging clinical practice with translational research.

He trained in medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand, completing his MBBCh, MSc and MMed. Subsequently, he completed his specialist and sub- specialist fellowships in Internal Medicine and Nephrology through the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Pretoria on the genetics of chronic kidney disease, systemic lupus erythematosus and pre-eclampsia in South African populations. His international training includes advanced nephrology programmes at Oxford and Harvard, as well as the Albertina Sisulu Executive Leadership Programme at the University of Pretoria.

Professor van Hougenhouck-Tulleken has published extensively, with more than 20 peer-reviewed articles and nearly 1,000 citations, and he serves as a reviewer for leading journals including Kidney International, Genome Medicine, and the African Journal of Nephrology. His research spans genetic risk factors for kidney disease, outcomes in transplantation, and the impact of COVID-19 on renal health. He has also contributed to multi-centre clinical trials.

A passionate educator, he received the University of Pretoria Teaching Excellence Award in 2022 and continues to mentor postgraduate and doctoral candidates. He is actively engaged in leadership within professional societies, serving on committees of the South African Nephrology Society, the African Association of Nephrology, and the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis, where he contributes to guideline development, research networks, and educational initiatives.