Throughout 2025 and beyond, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University School of Medicine are celebrating the Year of Discovery as our organizational theme.

Since 2017, Wake Forest Baptist has selected an annual theme to guide our daily work and unite our teams around our shared mission to redefine care and improve health FOR ALL. While past themes have focused on wellness, trust, community and belonging, each year’s theme has built on those before it to ensure our collective contributions are connected and impactful – and make a meaningful, lasting difference.

The Year of Discovery reflects our unique commitment as an academic learning health system to provide exceptional clinical care, advance groundbreaking research and discovery, and train the next generation of health care professionals. The theme also elevates our Purpose across Advocate Health – “From discovery to everyday moments, we’re redefining care – for you, for us, for all” – and reinforces our Commitments to “lift everyone up, lead the way, think boldly together and embrace the unknown.” 

Learn more about some of the many extraordinary ways our teammates and faculty are putting discovery into action.

NASA Vascular Tissue Challenge

Led by Anthony Atala, M.D., Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) is recognized as an international leader in translating scientific discovery into clinical therapies. Learn how two teams of WFIRM scientists won first and second place in NASA's Vascular Tissue Challenge, a prize competition that aims to accelerate tissue engineering innovations.

Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence

Together with his team, David Zhao, M.D., vice dean for the Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence, connects cutting-edge research with impactful clinical applications to advance treatments for heart and vascular disease. Learn how Dalane Kitzman, M.D., and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist scientists lead groundbreaking discovery related to HFpEF (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) across the Advocate Health organization.

Vascular Surgery Innovation

Vascular surgeon Kevin Chang, M.D., uses an innovative wound protector technique to perform surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Learn more about Dr. Chang’s unique technique and how Julie Freischlag, M.D., has influenced his view of academic surgery.