The father of a man who died while donating sperm is asking for a compensation of 4 million yuan ($632,000).

A court in Hubei province started hearing the case on Sept 11.

Zheng Gang, a PhD student of medical research at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, died while donating sperm at an institute of the Tongji Medical College of the university in February 2011.

His body was cremated three days later without an autopsy, and the cause of the death remains unclear, according to a report in the Southern Metropolis Daily.

Zheng Jinlong, the man's father, claims that the institute refused his request for an autopsy.

The father said that he suspects that his son took tainted pills before the donation, which were provided by the institute and led to his son's death.

Wan Liqiang, the lawyer representing the institute, rejected Zheng's accusations, saying that the institute suggested an autopsy, but that the suggestion was ignored by the man’s family.

"This is the first case nationwide or even worldwide in which a man died while donating sperm, so it would be of high medical value to do an autopsy, but the victim’s family members didn't allow it," said the lawyer.

The case is ongoing.