Professor TH Lam graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong with the MBBS degree in 1975.  He got an MSc degree in medical sociology and an MSc degree in occupational medicine in 1980 and 81 respectively from The University of London.  He obtained his MD degree by research from The University of Hong Kong in 1988.  He was Head of the Department of Community Medicine, The University of Hong Kong 2000-2012.  He was Head of the Department of Community Medicine and Director of the School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, between 2000-2012 and August 2009-June 2013 respectively. He is Chair Professor in Community Medicine since 2000 and Director of Public Health Research Centre since 2004.  He was appointed Sir Robert Kotewall Professorship in Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong in December 2007.

Professor Lam is a fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational Medicine, the UK Faculty of Public Health, The London Faculty of Occupational Medicine, The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (Community Medicine) and The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.  Professor Lam was President of the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine from 1997 to 2001.  He was Vice-Chairman of Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health and Co-Chair of Grant Review Board, Research Council, Health, Welfare and Food Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government.  He was appointed Justice of Peace in July 2005 and conferred Honorary Fellowship of Hong Kong College of Community Medicine in 2008.

He has been appointed by the World Health Organization as short-term consultant, temporary advisor or expert participant for about ten occasions.