Principal Investigator

Tarin Bigley was born in Arizona and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He completed an undergraduate degree at UW-Milwaukee where he received a BS in Biology and Biochemistry. As an undergraduate he studied chemotaxis in bacteria that use gliding motility. He completed his MD and PhD at the Medical College of Wisconsin. His PhD research was completed in the lab of Scott Terhune, PhD studying cytomegalovirus biology with a focus on how it controls the cell cycle and chromatinization to promote viral replication and antiviral resistance. Bigley completed a pediatric residency and pediatric rheumatology and immunology fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis in the Pediatric Physician Scientist Training Program (PePSTP). He performed his post-doctoral work in the laboratory of Wayne Yokoyama, MD, continuing his work in herpes virology while also gaining expertise in immunology, specifically viral immunology, T cell development and autoimmunity. He is passionate about his work trying to understand how viruses contribute to autoimmunity, as well as how patients with monogenic autoimmune disease respond to viral infections. He also has an interest in the role of herpes viruses in neuroinflammation. He has an amazing wife and two incredible kids who he spends time with outdoors, traveling and playing sports. He played football through college and still loves sports, although his activities these days include running and biking.