Two PhDs were not enough for inspirational scientist Dr Shiksha Gallow. She received her third one during the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Spring Graduation ceremony at the Olive Convention Centre on 17 September 2026 to great applause and intends extending her academic journey even further.
She says this latest PhD is more than an academic qualification, because it represents an opportunity to contribute to the scientific understanding of cannabinoid medicine and, ultimately, to improve patient care.
Her dissertation was entitled, “The Effect of Cannabinoids on Prostate-Specific Antigen and Positron Emission Tomography Scan Results of Patients Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer Who Are Using Medical Cannabis.”
She explained: “My doctoral research investigated the effects of full-spectrum medicinal cannabis on clinical outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer. The study was designed to help address the gap between promising preclinical evidence on cannabinoids and cancer and the limited human clinical evidence.”
The pioneering research represents the first clinical study of its kind conducted on the African continent, according to Dr Gallow.
The research evaluated 90 men with prostate cancer over six months, divided into three groups: chemotherapy only, medicinal cannabis only, and chemotherapy combined with medicinal cannabis. Outcomes included prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, PET/CT imaging findings, pain, mobility, functional ability, anxiety and depression, and overall quality of life.
The findings were very encouraging, said Dr Gallow.
“Graduating with my third PhD is an incredibly meaningful and humbling achievement. This qualification is particularly special to me because it brings together many years of scientific research and clinical practice, as well as my passion for medicinal cannabis and integrative medicine,” she offered.
The journey, she said, required tremendous commitment, perseverance and sacrifice, but it was deeply rewarding.
“What makes this achievement even more significant is that the research contributes human clinical data to an area where there remains a considerable gap between laboratory research, anecdotal reports, and robust clinical evidence,” she highlighted.
She’s extremely proud to have completed this work through DUT, and is grateful to everyone who supported her throughout this journey.
She said that overall, the strongest outcomes of her study were generally observed when medicinal cannabis was used alongside chemotherapy, suggesting that cannabinoids warrant further investigation as a potential adjunct to conventional prostate cancer treatment.
She stated that the study does not establish cannabis as a cure for prostate cancer.
“Rather, it provides important clinical evidence supporting further investigation through larger, well-controlled randomised clinical trials,” she said.
She also added that she strongly identified with DUT’s commitment to excellence, innovation, integrity and accountability.
“Innovation particularly resonates with me because much of my career has involved exploring where conventional and emerging approaches intersect in medical science. Integrity is equally important. When researching medicinal cannabis, particularly in cancer, it is essential that we distinguish scientific evidence from anecdotal claims and that we communicate both the potential and the limitations of the research responsibly,” she explained.
She also identified strongly with excellence: “I believe that, as scientists, clinicians and researchers, we should continuously challenge ourselves to improve our knowledge and contribute meaningful evidence that can ultimately improve patient outcomes.”
She said one of her greatest challenges had been to balance the demands of doctoral research with her responsibilities as a scientist, clinician, researcher, educator and businesswoman.
“Clinical research involving cancer patients is also complex. Recruitment, ethical requirements, data collection, follow-up, clinical assessments and maintaining scientific rigour all require considerable attention and commitment,” she stated.
Another challenge was working in a field that remains controversial – Cannabis medicine.
“It is often positioned at two extremes: either dismissed because of historical stigma or promoted with claims that extend beyond the available evidence. As a scientist and clinician, my responsibility was to remain in the middle of those extremes and allow the data and scientific evidence to speak for themselves,” she mentioned.
Medicinal cannabis has become a major focus of her clinical and research career, and she had seen firsthand the need for stronger clinical evidence.
“There is extensive preclinical research investigating cannabinoids and cancer, but significantly less human clinical research. I wanted to contribute towards closing that gap. Prostate cancer provided an important area to investigate because we could assess not only patients’ subjective experiences but also objective clinical outcomes, particularly PSA levels and PET/CT imaging findings,” she said.
Her new focus is to expand the research that has emerged from her work, while her long-term goal is to continue bridging the gap between clinical medicine, scientific research, cannabinoid therapeutics and integrative healthcare.
Dr Gallow has wide experience, which includes running her own company, training physicians internationally in medicinal cannabis, and regularly presenting her clinical and research work at international conferences.
A major priority for her is to develop larger collaborative research programmes and clinical trials that can build upon the findings of her prostate cancer and chronic pain research.
She is the Founder and Medical Director of Holistic Integrative Healing Institute, where her work spans clinical practice, scientific research and entrepreneurship.
She has developed an accredited Professional Certificate in Cannabis Medicine and her training has been delivered to physicians in countries including South Africa, Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, Costa Rica and Italy.
She said she was actively involved in international cannabinoid organisations, scientific collaborations, and conferences.
This, she said, allowed her to contribute South African clinical research to the broader global discussion on evidence-based cannabinoid medicine.
She summarised: “If this work can contribute even in a small way towards improving our scientific understanding of cannabinoids, encouraging more rigorous research and ultimately improving patient care, then the journey has been worthwhile.”
Pictured: Dr Shiksha Gallow
Photography: Sifundo Thwala
Waheeda Peters
