Vivek Nandur

Dr. Vivek Nandur is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, specializing in the intersection of industrial organization, healthcare economics, and consumer behavior. His research explores the complex incentives that drive firms to shape consumer perceptions and market structures, often resulting in unintended health consequences. He has investigated a wide range of topics, including the economics of mental health access, market power in substance use treatment, and the economics of fermented foods and beverages.​

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Using a combination of econometric models and large-scale datasets, Dr. Nandur examines how market power, regulatory choices, and firm incentives interact to shape the availability and quality of healthcare. His research spans diverse contexts, from mental health and substance use to nutrition and fermented foods, where firms often exploit imperfect consumer information and structural power imbalances to influence public perceptions and purchasing behavior. This approach allows him to identify previously unrecognized market failures and to quantify their impact on public health and economic inequality.
 

Dr. Nandur’s broader goal is to understand and address the underlying economic dynamics that make healthcare one of the most structurally challenging markets in the US, as well as the rest of the world. This includes exploring the role of microbial control, processing technologies, and product standardization in shaping consumer health outcomes. By uncovering the hidden costs and externalities embedded in these systems, his work aims to inform smarter regulation and innovative policy interventions that promote more equitable and effective healthcare for marginalized populations.