Hans Lieb is considered a pioneer in the field of quantitative microanalysis and preparative organic synthesis. Together with his assistant Wolfgang Schöniger, he wrote the work “Anleitung zur Darstellung organischer Präparate mit kleinen Substanzmengen” (Instructions for the Preparation of Organic Preparations with Small Quantities of Substances), which was groundbreaking in its time. Lieb had first come into contact with this special field in 1912 as an assistant to Fritz Pregl, a professor at Innsbruck University. Pregl’s work led to lasting progress in metabolic, hormone and enzyme research, which Lieb continued.
The findings quickly found their way into industrial practice, especially for the study of raw and operating materials as well as finished products in the commercial sector. In 1923 Pregl was appointed to the University of Graz, Lieb followed to Graz, became professor of physiological chemistry there in 1924 and completed medical studies. When Pregl retired in 1931, Lieb succeeded him as director of the Medical-Chemical Institute of the University of Graz.