In recent years, Prof Taylor and his colleagues have researched and developed the use of a nitric oxide breath-test as a "powerful clinical tool".
It can help with initial asthma diagnosis, as well as to check the effectiveness of preventer medication and to guide better treatment of patients with "difficult" asthma.
When Prof Taylor gains his doctor of science degree, he will be among more than 250 people receiving degrees and diplomas in medicine and medical laboratory science in a ceremony at the Regent Theatre at 1pm.
More than 250 people will also gain qualifications in dentistry and physiotherapy at a second ceremony at 4pm today, also at the Regent.
"I'm thrilled. It's the culmination of 20 years of my academic life," he said.
Scottish-born Prof Taylor already has a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Today's doctorate recognises his research on the safety and efficacy of beta-agonist drugs in asthma, and on exhaled nitric oxide as a biomarker in respiratory disease.
Prof Taylor said the latest degree also reflected positively on his colleagues at the Otago Respiratory Research Group, including Jan Cowan, the group's research manager.
In a world-first breakthrough for asthma patients, Otago research has in recent years shown this new breathalyser technology can improve asthma care, enabling the dose of inhaled steroid preventer medication to be tailored much more accurately.
Nitric oxide is found in exhaled air in very low concentrations in healthy people, but is increased in asthma. Levels fall with treatment but rise when asthma gets worse.
Prof Taylor is a respiratory medicine specialist at the uni-versity's Dunedin School of Medicine and is a former president of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and is a former medical director of the Asthma Foundation.
New Zealand had the world's second highest prevalence of asthma, but associated mortality and hospital admission rates had fallen over the past 20 years, he said.
Nitric oxide testing was proving helpful in improving the quality of life of the 5% of asthma patients who had "difficult" asthma.
"Their quality of life can be improved by applying the right technology in the right way."
