Research Projects

Leading international research initiatives in digital finance, artificial intelligence, and sustainable finance.

Funding Overview

Major Research Grants

Research Areas

• Machine Learning in Finance - Deep learning, reinforcement learning, NLP
• Digital Finance - Cryptocurrencies, blockchain, DeFi
• Risk Management - Credit risk, market risk, operational risk
• Sustainable Finance - ESG analytics, green bonds, impact investing

Major Academic Leadership Positions

Chair COST Action Fintech and AI in Finance

COST Action Chair, COST Action Fintech and AI in Finance, 2020 – 2024 Led the European COST Action on Fintech and AI in Finance, with 400 academic members from 51 countries. Coordinated international research collaborations, organized conferences and workshops, and enabled interdisciplinary research across member institutions.

Coordinator MSCA Industrial Doctoral Network on Digital Finance

PI and Coordinator, MSCA Industrial Doctoral Network on Digital Finance, since January 2024 Lead the MSCA Industrial Doctoral Network on Digital Finance, a European PhD research and training programme focused on digital finance. Managing over €3.8M in funding from the European Horizon framework More than 20 institutions and 100 participating researchers from academia and industry Key partners include the European Central Bank, ING, Deutsche Börse, and the Bank for International Settlements.

Principal Investigator, Swiss National Science Foundation

Principal Investigator, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), since 2020 Principal Investigator for several major research projects funded by SNSF. Responsible for project design, securing funding, overseeing research activities, and ensuring the successful completion of research objectives. Narrative Digital Finance: a tale of structural breaks, bubbles & market narratives Anomaly and fraud detection in blockchain networks Network-based credit risk models in P2P lending markets Hybrid Approach for Robust Identification and Measurement of Investors Driving Corporate Sustainability and Innovation. Design of Policy Tools for Evaluating the Impact of Specific Investors and Assessing the Quality of Companies’ Investor Bases Mathematics and Fintech - the next revolution in the digital transformation of the finance industry

Steering Committee Member, Luxembourg National Research Fund

Steering Committee Member, Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), since June 2024 Oversee the development and implementation of the NCER line “Financial Technologies”. Promote transdisciplinary research and intersectoral collaboration to address societal-relevant financial missions

Research Projects and Grants

I have led and co-led over 30 research projects, securing more than €8.0 million in third-party funding, of which €7.5 million directly attributable as PI, from organizations such as Horizon Europe, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the COST (Cooperation in Science and Technology) Association, Innosuisse, and industry partners. As COST Action Chair for FinTech and AI in Finance (2020–2024) and Coordinator of the €3.8 million Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action Industrial Network on Digital Finance (2024–2027), I lead international research initiatives in digital finance and financial technology. As (Co-) Principal Investigator for multiple Swiss National Science Foundation projects, including Blockchain and Virtual Currencies, Mathematics and FinTech: Digital Transformation, Hybrid Approach for Identifying Investors Driving Sustainability and Innovation, Narrative Digital Finance, Network-Based Credit Risk Models in P2P, and Anomaly and Fraud Detection in Blockchain Networks, my work contributes to advancements in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Finance.