UNC Orthopaedics is celebrating a series of major milestones led by Dr. Joe Hart, whose recent accomplishments reflect both personal achievement and the department’s growing national presence in musculoskeletal research.
In September 2025, Dr. Hart was awarded a $500,000 in partnership with Novant Health (New Hanover County) to establish a statewide musculoskeletal research consortium (CMRC). The two-year award will launch with a focus on shoulder injuries, co-led by Dr. William Hope, a trauma surgeon at Novant, and Dr. Alex Creighton from UNC. The team centers around a collaboration with UNC School of Medicine’s Clinical Research Alliance (CRA), a clinical coordinating center for multi-site clinical trials. Rachel Goolsby, the CRA’s Senior Program Manager, will be the primary project manager for the consortium. The initiative will create a harmonized data registry spanning multiple sites across North Carolina that will lay the groundwork for identifying best care pathways and enabling large-scale, multi-site clinical trials.
“This capacity grant is what I came here to write,” Hart says. “UNC has all the pieces necessary to make an impact on musculoskeletal research—we just have to figure out a way to pull everything together. Departments are invested in doing this and getting them to look in the amenity’s direction takes time, takes coordination, takes cheerleading–but it will all be worth it. To share that with other parts of the state will be an honor. Having internal and external partners is the next step to helping us to the point where we can make significant advances for North Carolinians.”
Dr. Hart’s academic in musculoskeletal clinical research has also been recognized nationally. He was inducted into the National Academy of Kinesiology in 2024, joining a select class of fellows honored for advancing the field. He also received the Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research in June, a career achievement award recognizing his contributions to interdisciplinary research. Dr. Hart was also named Innovator of the Year by the University of Virginia earlier this year for his work as co-founder and advisor of SpringBok, along with co-founders and UVA professors, Drs. Silvia Blemker and Craig Meyer.
Reflecting on these accomplishments, Hart emphasizes collaboration over individual recognition: “These awards are not about me—they’re about the teams that make this work possible. I’ve been fortunate to surround myself with talented, energetic people who drive our success. For me, this is a charge to keep our teams together, repeat our successes, and build on them for the future.”
Looking ahead, Hart and his team remain focused on a clear goal: “We’re building the infrastructure and community that will make UNC Orthopaedics the best program in the country—one defined by collaboration, discovery, and impact.”
The UNC Health–UNC School of Medicine / Novant Health Affiliation is a long-term (25-year) collaboration with a shared commitment to promote the lifelong health and well-being of Southeastern North Carolinians. The Affiliation’s mission “to serve all North Carolinians as unparalleled health advocates by enhancing timely, compassionate care, pioneering prevention, advancing cures, and educating future health leaders — all closer to home,” the affiliation advances its work through three Councils — a clinical council (with emphasis on pediatric specialty care), a research council, and an academic council.
The Affiliation focuses on four strategic goals: access (bringing care, education, and research to the local region), value (achieving better outcomes at lower cost), equity & outcomes (addressing disparities in health), and talent (growing a local pipeline of providers and learners committed to serving the community). Geographically, the affiliation’s clinical and academic work focusses on New Hanover, Brunswick, Bladen, Columbus, and Pender counties — while its academic footprint also extends into Charlotte.
For news coverage on the Novant UNC Research grant, visit the WWAY3 website or the view the Novant Health press release.