Cory L. Simpson MD, PhD, FAAD

Dr. Simpson is a board-certified dermatologist and Assistant Professor in the Division of Dermatology at the University of Washington. He graduated from the Medical Scientist Training Program at Northwestern University in Chicago, earning both his Ph.D. and M.D. His thesis research focused on the cellular functions of desmoglein 1, which is targeted in pemphigus, and led him to pursue clinical training in dermatology. After an internship in internal medicine through the University of Chicago, Dr. Simpson moved to the University of Pennsylvania for dermatology residency and served as Chief Resident in his final year at Penn.

Upon finishing his clinical training in 2016, he obtained grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Dermatology Foundation, allowing him to return to research, applying genetic tools and imaging techniques to a model of human skin grown in the lab. In 2021, he was recruited to the University of Washington, where he is building a lab focused on understanding how the skin is compromised in dermatologic disorders and identifying potential new treatments to promote tissue regeneration for those with rare skin diseases. Dr. Simpson’s weekly clinic in Seattle focuses on both autoimmune and genetic skin diseases, including pemphigus, pemphigoid, Darier, and Hailey-Hailey disease.