Honorary Fellow Professor Mark David KILBY (2023)

Professor KILBY was born and brought up in England in 1960s.

He graduated from Guy’s Hospital Medical School, University of London 1984, with a Certificate of Merit in the Goldenberg Medal Examination in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He obtained his degrees of Doctor of Medicine from University of Nottingham in 1990, and Doctorate of Science from University of Birmingham in 2011. He obtained his membership from Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in 1991, fellowship in 2007, and subspecialty accreditation in Maternal and Fetal Medicine in 1996. He also obtained his fellowship from Society of Biology in 2013, and Honorary Fellowship from Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 2015.

Professor KILBY was appointed as an Honorary Consultant in Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine at The Birmingham Women’s Foundation Trust and a Senior Lecturer in Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the University of Birmingham in 1996. He was promoted to a Personal Chair Professor at the same university in 2003, and then appointed to the Dame Hilda Lloyd Chair of Fetal Medicine in 2006.

Professor KILBY was a Fetal Medicine subspecialist and obstetrician working predominately at the Birmingham Women’s Foundation Trust at the West Midlands Regional Fetal Medicine Centre, one of the biggest fetal medicine centres in United Kingdom. His special clinical expertise included (1) Prenatal diagnosis, (2) Intrauterine fetal growth restriction, (3) Fetal therapy, (4) The management of Monochorionic twins and higher order pregnancies, and (5) Clinical genetics.

Professor KILBY had huge achievement in basic and clinical research in the field of maternal and fetal medicine. He had over 300 peer reviewed publications. Apart from teaching at the University of Birmingham, he also served as distinguished lecturer and visiting / international professorships in 13 universities and medical centres globally.

Professor KILBY served a number of public offices, including RCOG since 2002 and British Society of Maternal and Fetal Medicine since 2000. He was subsequently elected as President of this society from 2011 until 2014.

Professor KILBY had very close relationship with Hong Kong. In early 2000, as RCOG representative, he was involved in the establishment of RCOG subspecialty training programme in Maternal and Fetal Medicine in Hong Kong. Over the following 20 years, more than 10 trainees from Hong Kong and Mainland (include myself) received training at Birmingham under supervision by Professor KILBY. Most of us had one year training, as part of RCOG MFM subspecialty training programme. His training greatly strengthened the development of MFM subspecialty in our country.

Apart from contributing to our MFM subspecialty training, Professor KILBY also served as Aw Boon Haw Distinguished Lecturer at University of Hong Kong in 2010, and Visiting Professor at Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2014. He was the External Examiner for undergraduate medical examination at University of Hong Kong in 2007, and Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2014 to 2016. Professor KILBY delivered lectures and training courses in Hong Kong and Mainland for many times. His contribution to our local medical teaching and training was obvious and huge.

Professor Kilby retired from University of Birmingham in 2022, but he remains active in the field of clinical genetics and genomics while he is enjoying his new page of life.

In summary, Professor Mark KILBY has made significant contribution to the development of O&G specialty and MFM subspecialty in terms of clinical service, research and training globally. In addition, he has played an instrumental role in the collaboration with our college and the two medical schools in Hong Kong, and his influence has extended to Mainland as well. It is therefore my great pleasure to present Professor Mark David KILBY to you, our College President, for conferment with Honorary Fellowship at our 35th Anniversary.

Dr CHAN Chong Pun
at the conferment ceremony in 2023