Topography Team Q & A: Wendy Pinson
At Topography, we work closely with physicians and clinical research teams to scale their research programs. As we continue pursuing our mission, we’re so excited to have Wendy Pinson on our team as Executive Director, Clinical Operations.
Wendy comes to Topography with over 15 years of experience in clinical research and a proven record overseeing successful programs at organizations like Vial, The Jackson Clinic, Precision For Medicine and Sarah Cannon Research Institute.
Wendy is a veteran clinical research operator and joined Topography to be part of the deep expertise our team brings to research programs. As we continue working with major sponsors and supporting large practices and systems, Wendy will lead and scale our clinical operations team and oversee all aspects of trial execution for the organizations and physicians we serve.
With Wendy settling into her role and visiting Topography research sites around the country, we asked her to share more about her background and why she joined the Topography team.
Wendy by the numbers:
- 22 years of healthcare experience
- 15+ years of clinical research experience
- 15+ therapeutic areas worked on
What made you interested in joining the Topography team?
I joined because there really isn’t any other research platform for physicians that combines the experience, team, and vision that Topography brings to the table. I’ve been in this space a long time and I know what it takes to support investigators and build successful research programs at scale. To expand patient access to trials, we have to solve for the investigator experience by addressing the operational complexities, last-mile technology gaps and the myriad challenges that come with research programs. Other startups and companies in the space either aren’t interested in working on the hardest aspects of research or they’ve given up because they don’t have the right experience. I’ve devoted my career to increasing trial access and I found Topo to be incredibly unique in both its approach and capabilities.
You’ve worked for a number of leading clinical research organizations, including Vial, The Jackson Clinic, Precision For Medicine, and the Sarah Cannon Research Institute. Tell us about your career journey so far and how you originally got started in clinical research.
I started my career as a pediatric nurse right out of nursing school. After 6 years in that role, I was recruited to be a clinical research coordinator at the renowned Sarah Cannon Research Institute. That was where I became immersed in clinical research and understood the deep operational expertise that’s needed to do it well. From the diversity of the work, the multiple therapeutic strategies, and seeing how we touched patient lives, it was incredibly impactful. Fifteen years in, it’s incredible to see how much the space has evolved, and continues to.
From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges for physicians and their practices when it comes to clinical research?
It all comes down to a lack of support. Our team likes to say that for most healthcare systems, research is the fourth priority in a three priority plan. That’s to say that it always gets deprioritized, which is the root cause of lagging patient access. This is particularly true in underserved and rural communities, including the one where I live in Tennessee, which has limited care access. We are committed to changing that by helping physicians scale trials and addressing the challenges that come with that head-on. For example, finding qualified ancillary staff such as clinical research coordinators and even sub-investigators that have the time to commit to clinical research trials is a major challenge for many practices and systems. Once that staff is in place, success comes down to ensuring that investigators have the tools and resources needed to truly serve patients.
There’s so much enthusiasm for clinical research right now. Why do you think this is? Pandemics always pave a new path. This has been true since smallpox and it was true during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. We are also seeing a spike in chronic diseases across the world. Everything from malignancies, metabolic diseases, and so much in between. Treatments for some of these diseases are virtually non-existent, and where therapies do exist, they can be extremely expensive and unobtainable for a significant portion of the population. Ultimately, I want to see accessible treatment and cure options for everyone, and that starts with trials. At Topo, we have the capability to work with major sponsors and support large practices and systems. The potential for impact on access to these therapies is massive, and that’s why I’m so excited to be here.
What do you see changing in the clinical research space over the next ~5 years?
Technology in our industry has changed significantly over the past 10+ years. And it’s so exciting to think about how much farther that can expand. But much of the technology that exist hasn’t been built for the primary participants in trials – physicians and their patients. At Topo we’re focused on that last mile, both with technology and on the literal road to the patient. It’s also important to note that technology is just one piece of the solution. In my career, I’ve seen how — even with great technology — operational expertise is the most important factor when it comes to scaling research programs and supporting physicians.
When you’re not thinking about clinical research, what do you do for fun?
Well, I have a 15 year old and a 9 year old. Typically their hobbies become my hobbies and I often feel like a full-time Uber driver. Outside of this, I love working on interior design projects. Decorating my home, and making it a warm, safe, and welcoming space has definitely become an important hobby.
