Tantin studies the regulation of gene expression and its relationship to immune and stem cell function, and malignancy. He focuses on a class of transcription factors that has been tied to cellular reprogramming and immune function. Examples of these proteins are Oct1/Pou2f1, Oct2/Pou2f1, and Oct4/Pou5f1. These proteins regulate cellular physiology and differentiation state through control of metabolism and through control of poised (silent but readily inducible) gene expression states. They interact with multiple cofactors that control local chromatin and gene expression.