Blockchain & Decentralized Finance

Leading research on cryptocurrency markets, DeFi protocols, and blockchain-based financial innovation

Research Mission

Blockchain technology and decentralized finance represent a fundamental reimagining of financial infrastructure. My research applies rigorous economic theory and empirical methods to understand these novel markets, inform protocol design, and guide regulatory policy.

I bring a unique perspective combining traditional finance expertise with deep technical understanding of distributed systems, cryptography, and mechanism design. This interdisciplinary approach enables insights that bridge theory and practice in the rapidly evolving blockchain ecosystem.

Research Areas

01

Cryptocurrency Market Microstructure

Analyzing price formation, liquidity provision, and trading dynamics in cryptocurrency markets.

  • Order flow analysis and price discovery
  • Market fragmentation across exchanges
  • Liquidity provision and market making
  • Cross-exchange arbitrage dynamics
  • Market manipulation detection
  • High-frequency trading in crypto
02

DeFi Protocol Economics

Examining the economic mechanisms underlying decentralized finance protocols and their game-theoretic properties.

  • Automated market maker (AMM) design
  • Lending protocol risk and capital efficiency
  • Stablecoin mechanisms and stability
  • Yield farming incentive structures
  • Protocol governance and voting
  • Liquidity mining optimization
03

Smart Contract Security & Optimization

Developing methods to ensure smart contract correctness, security, and gas efficiency.

  • Formal verification techniques
  • Vulnerability detection and auditing
  • Gas optimization strategies
  • Composability and dependency risks
  • MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) analysis
  • Upgrade mechanisms and governance
04

Tokenomics & Mechanism Design

Designing token economies that align incentives and create sustainable value for stakeholders.

  • Token supply dynamics and monetary policy
  • Incentive mechanism design
  • Utility vs. security token classification
  • Governance token distribution
  • Token velocity and value accrual
  • Network effects and adoption curves
05

NFT Markets & Digital Assets

Understanding pricing, liquidity, and investment characteristics of non-fungible tokens and digital collectibles.

  • NFT valuation models
  • Marketplace dynamics and fees
  • Fractionalization and liquidity
  • IP rights and provenance
  • Gaming and metaverse economics
  • Art market integration
06

Blockchain Scalability & Infrastructure

Researching layer-2 solutions, sharding, and other approaches to improve blockchain throughput and efficiency.

  • Layer-2 scaling solutions (rollups, state channels)
  • Sharding and parallel processing
  • Cross-chain interoperability
  • Consensus mechanism comparisons
  • MEV and transaction ordering
  • Data availability and storage
07

Central Bank Digital Currencies

Analyzing design choices, monetary policy implications, and international adoption of CBDCs.

  • CBDC architecture and design
  • Privacy vs. transparency tradeoffs
  • Monetary policy transmission
  • Financial inclusion opportunities
  • Cross-border payment systems
  • Commercial bank disintermediation
08

Blockchain Regulation & Policy

Informing regulatory frameworks that balance innovation, investor protection, and financial stability.

  • Securities law application to tokens
  • DeFi regulatory challenges
  • AML/KYC in decentralized systems
  • Tax treatment and reporting
  • International coordination
  • Sandbox and pilot programs
09

Blockchain Applications Beyond Finance

Exploring blockchain use cases in supply chain, healthcare, identity, and other domains.

  • Supply chain transparency and traceability
  • Healthcare data management
  • Digital identity and credentials
  • Voting and governance systems
  • Intellectual property management
  • Real estate and property rights

Industry Consulting & Advisory

I serve as strategic advisor to leading organizations navigating blockchain innovation:

Central Banks & Regulators

Advising Federal Reserve, ECB, and national regulators on CBDC design, DeFi oversight, and cryptocurrency market structure.

Financial Institutions

Guiding major banks and asset managers on crypto custody, digital asset trading, and blockchain integration strategies.

Blockchain Protocols

Technical and economic consulting for layer-1 blockchains and DeFi protocols on mechanism design and optimization.

Legal & Compliance

Expert witness testimony and regulatory analysis for litigation, enforcement actions, and policy development.

Teaching Blockchain & DeFi

Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies (MBA Core)

Comprehensive introduction to blockchain technology, cryptocurrency markets, and DeFi protocols. Covers technical foundations, economic mechanisms, investment strategies, and regulatory landscape. Student projects analyze live protocols and market data.

Advanced DeFi Seminar

Research seminar exploring cutting-edge topics in decentralized finance including AMM design, MEV, protocol security, and governance. Students complete original research culminating in publishable papers.

Blockchain for Executives

Executive education program covering strategic implications of blockchain for business. Focus on enterprise applications, investment opportunities, and competitive positioning in the digital asset economy.

Blockchain Research Collaboration

Open to research partnerships, consulting engagements, and advisory roles in blockchain and DeFi

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