His major research interests lie in clinical trial and research administration, pregnancy as a window to women’s and children’s future health, and facilitating research career development for trainees and junior faculty. He developed and directs the Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Network, a consortium of over 50 research personnel who conduct and administer the many clinical trial networks - both obstetric and gynecologic - in which the Department participates. Dr. Varner currently serves as the Principal Investigator for the Utah Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network site, a long-term collaboration between Intermountain Healthcare and the University of Utah. He is a Utah investigator on three other NIH-funded clinical trial networks and is a mentor/collaborator on a number of individual and institutional training grants, including the Department’s BIRCWH and WRHR K12 awards. In addition to his Departmental obligations he is the Associate Director of the University's Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CTSA award). He has authored or co-authored over 400 peer-reviewed publications.