The global financial meltdown of 2008 resulted in sweeping reforms to the banking industry in the United States. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 ushered in a new era of regulation designed to reduce risk to the American financial system. Wharton accounting professor Allison Nicoletti believes the legislation also created a singular opportunity to study the effects of regulation on banks. She and fellow researchers Hailey Ballew from Ohio State University and Michael Iselin from the University of Minnesota examine the influence Dodd-Frank had on banking consolidation in their paper titled, “ Regulatory Thresholds and Mergers and Acquisitions in the Banking Industry .” Recently, Nicoletti spoke with Knowledge at Wharton about their findings. (Listen to the podcast using the player above.) An edited transcript of the conversation follows. Knowledge at Wharton: Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your paper?…