Biography

Piers is Co-editor of the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, he undertakes research in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, and works part of the week as a hospital consultant (specialist) in the NHS. He has trained in paleopathology, osteoarchaeology, parasitology, medical history, orthopaedic surgery, and higher education. Piers has been president of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology 2012-2015, and president of the Paleopathology Association, the worldwide organization for the study of disease in the past, from 2015-2017. He is editor in chief of the book series Cambridge Texts in Human Bioarchaeology and Osteoarchaeology. Piers has published over 200 articles, and 6 books. Along with being filmed for over 20 TV documentaries discussing his research on disease in past populations, more than a thousand news articles have been published about his work by journalists.

His research interests focus on understanding health and disease in past populations. Piers has a strong interest in ancient parasites, bacterial infectious diseases such as plague, and ancient cancers. He holds a long association with the Middle East, having spent many years studying weapon injuries, disease and medical treatment during the crusades in the medieval period. He was also a member of the team who studied the remains of King Richard III at Leicester, focusing on his intestinal parasites and his scoliosis.