Born in Kiel in 1952, Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans Michael Piper studied medicine, physics and philosophy at Göttingen University. His diploma in physics was followed by doctorates in medicine and philosophy. In 1985, Piper habilitated in physiology and received an appointment at the University of Düsseldorf. After completing research stays in England and Canada, he accepted a professorship in physiology at the University of Gießen in 1994. There, he served, among other things, as longstanding director of the Institute of Physiology, as dean and as founding director of the Graduate Centre for Life Sciences.

From 2008 to 2014, Piper served as rector of the University of Düsseldorf and, subsequently, as director of the Institute for Molecular Medicine III at the University Hospital of Düsseldorf. From 2015 to 2021, he was president of the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg.