Professor David Todd, who was born in Guangdong in 1928 came to Hong Kong, after the Japanese occupation of Guangzhou, to attend the Diocesan Boys' School as a boarder. He graduated from the University of Hong Kong with the degrees of MBBS in 1952, followed by the award of an MD in 1958. After graduation, he worked as a house physician at Queen Mary Hospital for a year and was then appointed to the full-time teaching staff in the University's Department of Medicine at Queen Mary Hospital. Apart from extensive study and research abroad, he has devoted his working life to the teaching and practice of medicine in the Department of Medicine in his alma mater.
Professor Todd is a leading haematologist with an impressive record of research in this field and held the Chair of Medicine and the headship of the Department of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong from 1974 to 1989.
Recognised internationally as a leading authority in his specialist field, Professor Todd has been honoured by the foremost medical institutions in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He has been a visiting professor and external examiner in the medical faculties of many overseas universities. In Hong Kong he has rightly enjoyed a high reputation for his distinguished contributions to the development of medicine education. Professor Todd is a forceful advocate of improved facilities for advanced postgraduate and continuing medical education in the Territory. He helped found the Hong Kong College of Physicians in 1986 and has been its president ever since. He was a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University from 1978 to 1980 and was appointed a member of the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee in 1987. For his services to medicine in the Territory, he was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1982, and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1990, and is an honorary graduate of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
In recognition of his services to the profession of medicine, and to medical research and education, the University has resolved to confer upon him the degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa.
