Professor Roger Smith will become the first scientist to be named a Freeman of the City of Newcastle for his research into pregnancy, premature birth and stillbirth.
He will receive the honour at a ceremony on Wednesday night, making him the 19th freeman in Newcastle.
Previously, the award went to former lord mayors, activists, art patrons and - in more recent years - an entertainer, architect and community volunteer.
Professor Smith said his award "marked a change towards Newcastle becoming a city of ideas and knowledge generation".
"That's interesting and exciting. In the past, Newcastle has been an industrial city with its coal mining and steelmaking," Professor Smith said.
In 1995, Professor Smith and his team of researchers discovered a biological clock in the placenta that regulates the length of human pregnancy.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said he had "made his mark" in Newcastle and overseas, and "advanced our understanding of human birth".
"This means better opportunities for women to access information, care and support that they need before, during and after pregnancy."
Cr Nelmes said the award symbolised the "significant global impact of Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) locally and worldwide".
She said the professor was "a pivotal figure in establishing this world-leading research facility".
Professor Smith was "keen to pursue medical research" when he arrived in Newcastle in 1981, "fresh out of doing my PhD in London".
"It wasn't really part of the Newcastle scene. I felt we needed an umbrella organisation to support medical research, so I set about creating that."
He established the Gomeroi Gaaynggal project, using art to help Indigenous women receive healthcare during pregnancy.
Cr Nelmes said this "led to new discoveries in the health of pre- and post-natal Indigenous women", showing "culturally informed programs help Close the Gap in health disparities".
His official University of Newcastle title is "distinguished laureate professor" and he's an endocrinologist at John Hunter Hospital.
At HMRI, he's scientific director of the mothers and babies research program.
However, the modern-day renaissance man said "I can work in all sorts of areas and I do".
"I'm very lucky. I think it comes with age. People don't tell me I can't do things.
"I'm working on a documentary at the moment on the origins of complex life on our planet.
"And I work with natural history illustration PhD students, so I'm involved in the art of science and medicine. I've done work in music and medicine."
Professor Smith said the most rewarding part of his career was "probably the work we've done in Nepal".
"It's not often that you get such direct impact. We've saved over 700 Nepali women's lives," he said.
The program used military helicopters to "overcome the tyranny of poor roads" to rescue women in childbirth emergencies.
"What we did in Nepal provides a model for other low- and middle-income countries of how to reduce maternal mortality."
He added that "I can't do anything by myself".
"I've been supported by an amazing team. Staff have been with me for 35 years. You need to value the people around you.
"Our lives and happiness depend on having people around you to share the successes and also the failures."
