Mikhail Davydov

Davydov was born in Konotop, Sumy Oblast, in Ukrainian SSR. He graduated from the Kyiv Suvorov Military School, and then served three years in the Russian Airborne Troops. His mother wanted him to become a musician. However, after reading the Yuri German trilogy “My dear man”, Davydov decided to become a surgeon.

In 1975, Davydov graduated from the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (being a student he worked as a laboratory assistant at the sub-department of operative surgery). Then there were residency training (1975–1977) and postgraduate studies (1977–1980) in the Blokhin Cancer Research Center. He defended his master's and doctoral dissertations and then became a professor.

In 1986, Davydov became a leading researcher in the Thoracic department. From 1988 he was the head of the Department of abdominothoracic oncology. From 1992 he was the Director of the Blokhin Center. He was the Chief Oncologist of the Medical Center of the RF Presidential Department for Property Management. He also headed the sub-department of oncology in the Russian State Medical University.

Davydov is known in Russia and abroad as a scientist who dedicated his scientific and practical activities to developing new and improving existing methods of the surgical treatment of lung, esophageal, stomach cancer, mediastinal mass. He developed a principally new technique of intrapleural gastro-esophageal and esophageal-intestinal anastomoses which is notable for its original technical performance, absolute security and highly adjusted to physiology; the surgical measures have been developed where the results of treatment of lung, esophageal, stomach cancer are improved due to the mediastinal and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

Davydov died on 8 February 2025, at the age of 77.