Sir Michael Foster KCB FRS VMH (8 March 1836 – 29 January 1907) was an English physiologist.

He lived at Nine Wells House, Great Shelford in the Gog Magog Hills opposite his friend and fellow physiologist W H Gaskell.

In the 1899 Birthday Honours, he was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB),[5] and served as president of the British Association at its meeting at Dover in September 1899.

He played no prominent part in parliament and indicated a desire to resign in 1902,[9] but stayed on until the next election of 1906, where he stood for re-election but was defeated.

[12] One of many irises he introduced includes Iris lineata Foster ex Regel[13][14] (or A.Regel),[15] which was originally described and published in Gartenflora (1887),[13] and later cited in Curtis's Botanical Magazine (1888).

Early awardees included, in 1927 George Yeld VMH, American John Wister and Frenchman Seraphin Mottet.