Tong Dizhou was born in Yinxian County in East China's Zhejiang Province in 1902 and died in 1979. He was a famous experimental embryologist and educationist. In 1927, he graduated from Fudan University of Shanghai, received a doctorate of science from a Belgian university in 1930 and came back to his homeland China then. Tong was elected as an academician of China Central Research Institute and then an academician of China Academy of Sciences in 1955. He once was the director of biology department of China Academy of Sciences.

Tong learned from famous European embryologists when studying in Belgium, published several papers after careful observation and researches, which exerted great effects on the biological field of Europe at that time. He made systematic studies of sea squirts and amphibiology, especially the growth of fish ovum. He put forth the idiographic idea that fish ovum does not have the equal growth ability in the budding period. He also made breakthroughs in the biological study and researches, found new ways to control fish's hereditary variation.

Tong was successively the professor of Shandong University, Medical College of China Central University, Tongji University and Fudan University; researcher of China Research Institute of Psychology and Physiology, Cambridge University and Yale University; Vice President of Shandong University, Director of the Institute of Oceanology, Director of the Institute of Zoology and Vice President of China Academy of Sciences. Tong was also the member of standing committee of National People's Congress of the third and fourth sessions, and the vice president of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).