Established on July 14, 1989, the Atlanta Research and Education Foundation, Inc., is a nonprofit corporation that was created to advance the research and educational activities of the staff at the Atlanta Department of Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center.

Over the past 20 years, the Atlanta Research and Education Foundation (AREF) has partnered with the Atlanta VA Medical Center to develop a diverse research portfolio dedicated to investigating a variety of ailments afflicting the nation's veterans. AREF plays a crucial role in supporting VA physicians and researchers as they endeavor to understand how, why, and when diseases afflict the human system. AREF facilitates collaborative efforts between the Atlanta VA Medical Center, academic institutions, government research organizations, and private companies by administering a variety of programs ranging from applied research in low vision to molecular mechanisms of gene therapy in bone reformation.

The Foundation's motto, to advance VA research and education, is central to our mission. Through our ongoing efforts toward meeting these objectives, the VA and the Atlanta Research and Education Foundation are teamed to provide the highest caliber research infrastructure for our researchers. AREF also strives to partner with the private sector to provide faculty, staff, and providers with opportunities to advance their knowledge in their respective fields of healthcare. Through this expanded authority, AREF can manage resources to continue education and training so that we may have the most advanced healthcare workforce. Our ultimate goal is to aid in the advancement of research and education at the Atlanta VA Medical Center.