Dr. Tara Renbarger grew up in Greentown, Ind., which is a half an hour west of the Indiana Wesleyan University campus. She earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology & Immunology from the Indiana University School of Medicine. There she investigated the molecular pathways critical for the virulence of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease.

Upon completing her degree, she married Bryson. They reside on the family farm in Converse, Ind. and have three sons: Baer, Cael, and Bayne.

Professor Renbarger’s research interest combines her love of microbes with farming. She is interested in how methods in agriculture impact plant and livestock health, associated bacteria, as well as the final product that reaches the consumer.