Do you have a passion for research and the ambition to obtain your PhD in business economics? Do you have the right academic background, and are you ready to start this 4-year journey in our open, international, and collegial environment? Let’s meet!

PHD RESEARCHER: FINANCE OF INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS

Vlerick Business School is an innovative, top-ranked and sustainable international business school in the heart of Europe. Our purpose is to transform people for a better world! We want being at Vlerick to be a transformative experience where you discover the knowledge, mindset and confidence you need to take your next leap – and become the entrepreneurial leader our world needs.

As part of our close-knit team, you’ll bring our strategy and purpose to life. Are you excited to join our international research community as a PhD researcher on financing innovative treatments? Here’s what you need to know!

Your mission

As a PhD researcher in finance of innovative treatments, you will investigate innovative market-driven solutions for financing transformative medical treatments, specifically Cell and Gene Therapies (CGT) and Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) drugs. These treatments hold immense potential for improving health outcomes but pose significant financial challenges due to their high costs and reimbursement complexities. CGT often involves a one-time, high-cost intervention for a small patient population, while GLP-1 drugs require ongoing, long-term funding for a much larger group.

Your research will address these critical issues by developing scalable, affordable, flexible, and ethical financing models that balance innovation, accessibility, and sustainability.

Using portfolio securitisation and Monte Carlo simulation techniques, you will analyse alternative reimbursement structures and explore how financial engineering can enhance the long-term viability of these therapies within healthcare systems.

Your role will involve a combination of desk research, data collection, and advanced financial modelling. You will critically assess existing insurance and reimbursement mechanisms, develop analytical models to examine the feasibility of securitised healthcare financing, and conduct sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of proposed solutions. In addition to your research activities, you will disseminate knowledge through publications in top academic journals, international conferences, and collaboration with policymakers and industry stakeholders. Through this interdisciplinary work, you will contribute to shaping the future of sustainable health financing, providing insights that can inform policy, insurance practices, and pharmaceutical business models.

You

Have a Master’s Degree in Finance, Actuarial Science or a similar field and an interest in Financial Economics.
Have a high GPA. Ideally, you have obtained cum laude at least once in your bachelor's and at least once in your master's year(s).
Are outstanding either in quantitative finance, actuarial science or both.
Want to conduct relevant research for the academic and business worlds.
Want to provide (teaching) support to your supervisors and the research area.
Can work autonomously and have a proactive attitude.
Have good writing skills and are fluent in English.
Want to work on our beautiful campuses in Ghent, Brussels or Leuven in combination with your home office.

#ProudtobeVlerick

Autonomy and responsibility in an engaging work environment.
A dynamic, open, and international company culture.
Opportunities for professional and personal growth.
A team of enthusiastic, driven colleagues, passionate about learning.
Opportunities to build your network, both in academics and in business.
You’ll have a real impact and inspire people to live, learn and leap!

At Vlerick, openness to the world is part of our DNA. We are continuously working towards being a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive place to work and learn. So, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what your dreams are, we are looking forward to receiving your application.

Vlerick Business School is the hosting institute for this PhD journey, with Thanos Verousis and Walter van Dyck as your promoters. Ghent University will be your PhD granting institute. We offer you a contract of definite duration for 4 years. More information on the salary scale (WM1), staff benefits, and employment conditions can be transparently accessed via the links.

Take the leap!

If you meet these criteria, please apply with your English resume, motivation letter, and transcripts of your BSc and MSc degrees on our website. As the results of a TOEFL or IELTS and/or a GRE or GMAT score might be a requirement for the selection process, please already upload them upon availability. Happy to give you more information, so feel free to contact thanos.verousis@vlerick.com and/or walter.vandyck@vlerick.com on the job content and the selection process, and hr@vlerick.com on working at Vlerick.

Scale WM1

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PhD Researcher: Finance of Innovative Treatments