How to Build a World-Class Research Program: Lessons from Dr. Thomas Waggoner

A look into how Dr. Waggoner took a new TAVR program and transformed it into a top-tier research hub from scratch! Dr. Tom Wagner, Director of Structural Heart at Tucson Medical Center, shares his journey in building a research-first culture from scratch. In this conversation, he discusses:Why research is a differentiator in regional cardiologyHow he grew from zero research to 70+ active clinical trialsThe inflection point when a program takes off (around year 5)The importance of volume, outcomes, and clean data for sponsor trustPractical insights on staffing: from one CRC to a full research hierarchyWhy perseverance, weekends, and attention to detail are the real “secret sauce”How research fuels both patient access to novel devices and institutional reputationWhether you’re a structural cardiologist, program director, or part of a valve team, this discussion offers a roadmap to building research infrastructure that benefits both patients and institutions.Chapters:00:00 – Intro & guest background 01:10 – Starting with zero research & 50 TAVRs/year 02:00 – Why research matters for program growth 03:30 – Research as a differentiator in regional markets 04:10 – Perseverance: the real “secret sauce” 05:30 – Balancing call, STEMI, and research demands 06:20 – The 5-year inflection point of growth 07:00 – From 2 trials to 70: scaling the research portfolio 07:45 – Importance of high volume and outcomes 08:15 – Why clean data builds sponsor trust 09:30 – Don’t overreach: starting with the right trial 10:20 – Building staff: from one CRC to a full hierarchy 12:00 – Lessons learned from early trial missteps 13:00 – Closing insights on building lasting programs#StructuralHeart #CardiologyResearch #TAVR #HighRiskPCI #InterventionalCardiology #ClinicalTrials #CathLab #ValveTeam #ResearchProgram #MurmurMD