History and Legacy
The Sarver Heart Center at the University of Arizona was established in 1986 as the University Heart Center to bring together physicians, scientists, and educators dedicated to advancing the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
From its earliest days, the center was designed to foster collaboration across disciplines and accelerate discoveries that could move from the laboratory to the bedside. The goal was simple but ambitious: unite cardiovascular researchers and clinicians across the University of Arizona to develop new approaches to preventing and treating heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke.
In 1998, the center was renamed the Sarver Heart Center in recognition of the generosity and vision of Robert and Penny Sarver and the Sarver family. Their philanthropic investment helped expand cardiovascular research and education at the University of Arizona and strengthened the center’s ability to recruit leading investigators and advance innovative approaches to cardiovascular medicine.
In 2000, the Sarver Heart Center dedicated its current home within the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Tucson, expanding research capacity and strengthening collaboration among cardiovascular investigators across the university and health system.
Today, the Sarver Heart Center includes more than 150 physicians and scientists whose work spans basic discovery, translational science, clinical investigation, and community education. Faculty collaborate across departments and research programs to better understand cardiovascular disease and develop new diagnostic tools, therapies, and prevention strategies.
Education and training are also central to the center’s mission. The Sarver Heart Center supports the development of future cardiovascular leaders by providing training opportunities for medical students, residents, fellows, and graduate trainees while fostering collaboration among scientists and clinicians across the university.
Since its founding, the Sarver Heart Center has remained committed to advancing cardiovascular science and translating discoveries into improved care for patients and families affected by heart disease.
Major Milestones
Physicians at the University of Arizona performed the first heart transplant in the state, establishing a foundation for advanced cardiovascular care and research in Arizona.
University of Arizona surgeons performed the world’s first successful bridge-to-transplant procedure using a total artificial heart, providing life-saving support for patients awaiting heart transplantation.
The University Heart Center was founded to unite cardiovascular researchers and clinicians at the University of Arizona.
Research from the Sarver Heart Center’s Resuscitation Research Group demonstrated that hands-only CPR significantly improves survival from sudden cardiac arrest, contributing to changes in American Heart Association guidelines.
Physicians at University Medical Center Tucson and the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center performed the first TAVR procedure in southern Arizona, expanding minimally invasive treatment options for patients with severe aortic valve disease.
The Sarver Family
The Sarver Heart Center is named in recognition of the generosity and commitment of Robert and Penny Sarver and the Sarver family, whose philanthropic support helped expand cardiovascular research and care at the University of Arizona.
The Sarver family’s commitment to advancing cardiovascular medicine is deeply personal. Heart disease affected multiple generations of the family, including Robert Sarver’s father, Jack Sarver, whose experience with early cardiac surgery left a lasting impression on the family and inspired their support for efforts to prevent and treat heart disease.
In 1998, Robert and Penny Sarver made a major philanthropic investment in the University Heart Center. In recognition of their generosity, the center was renamed the Sarver Heart Center, reflecting the family’s commitment to advancing discovery, education, and clinical care in cardiovascular medicine.
“Penny and I look at this not so much as a donation, but as an investment — an investment in the people working here and in the promise that they can discover new ways to prevent and treat heart disease.”
— Robert Sarver, 1998
The Sarver family’s support helped strengthen the center’s ability to recruit leading investigators, foster collaboration across disciplines, and advance innovative research aimed at improving the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.