David Latchman

David Seymour Latchman CBE (born 1956) is a British geneticist and university administrator. Since 2003 he has been Master of Birkbeck, University of London, and Professor of Genetics at Birkbeck and University College London.

Professor Latchman was educated at the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School and received his doctorate from Cambridge University before undertaking postdoctoral research at Imperial College London and in the Department of Biology at University College London. He worked in the Medical Molecular Biology Unit at UCL, and Middlesex School of Medicine. He has been Professor of Molecular Pathology and Director of the Windeyer Institute of Medical Science at UCL and was Dean of the Institute for Child Health (1999–2002).

He serves on a number of Committees including London Development Agency (observer status); Universities UK Research Policy Network; Confederation of British Industry(CBI) London Council; National DNA Database Ethics Group; London First Board member.

As Master of Birkbeck, he has voiced protest at UK government proposals to cut funding for second degrees.

Professor Latchman was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours for services to higher education.