She completed her Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Anatomy at Case Western Reserve University in 1979, then performed postdoctoral work in the Department of Chemistry at Indiana University and again at CWRU prior to becoming a USC faculty member in 1984. Her primary research interest is in how organelles and pathogens are targeted to specific domains inside neurons and how they are maintained in those areas. Other areas of interest include mechanisms of axonal regeneration and the effects of aging on intracellular motile processes. Dr. Garner has received a number of research grants from the National Institutes of Health, as well as private foundations, and has served as a regular member of a Neuroscience study section at NIH.