Hox gene
Previously Tabin has worked on retroviruses, homeobox genes, oncogenes, developmental biology and evolution. Early in his research he investigated limb regeneration in the salamander, and described the expression of retinoic acid receptor and Hox genes in the blastema. Comparative studies by Ann Burke in his lab showed that differences in boundaries of Hox gene expression correlated with differences in skeletal morphology. The Tabin laboratory adjoins the laboratory of Connie Cepko.