Marcus Leys

Marcus Leys is a Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), holding the Chair of OPIH (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Research Platform) within the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy's Department of Public Health and Primary Care. His work spans health services research, health policy development, and multidisciplinary collaboration across healthcare systems in Belgium and internationally.

His research interests focus on health systems research, evaluation methodologies, interorganizational collaboration networks, knowledge translation for health policy making, and patient participation frameworks. Leys specializes in diagnostic evaluation systems for developmental disabilities in children, cancer care pathways, and public health infrastructure development, with significant contributions to understanding care trajectories and service accessibility.

His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward improving healthcare accessibility through organizational models, particularly in developmental disability diagnostics and cancer care. His work integrates multidisciplinary approaches to address complex healthcare system challenges, with strong emphasis on practical implementation frameworks and policy relevance.

Leys actively supervises doctoral and master's students, with recent advisees including Nadine Boesten, D'hooge L.K., and Boels E.L. His grant portfolio includes significant projects such as the Support Center for Wellbeing, Public Health and Family (2021-2026), the Interuniversity Center for Health Economics Research, and multiple diagnostic evaluation mapping initiatives across Flanders.

He leads the OPIH research platform and collaborates extensively through the Interuniversity Center for Health Economics Research (I-CHER), developing networks that bridge academic research with practical healthcare implementation across institutional boundaries.