BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Simpson is a physician-scientist Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Washington. He graduated from the Medical Scientist Training Program at Northwestern University in Chicago, earning both his M.D. and a Ph.D. in Cell Biology. His doctoral thesis focused on novel functions of desmoglein 1, which is targeted in pemphigus, and this led him to pursue clinical training in dermatology and sub-specialization in blistering diseases. 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. Upon finishing his clinical training, he obtained grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Dermatology Foundation, allowing him to return to lab research applying gene editing and advanced microscopy to an organoid model of human skin to illuminate the mechanisms of epidermal barrier formation. In 2021, Dr. Simpson was recruited to Seattle, where his weekly clinic focuses on both autoimmune and genetic skin blistering diseases, including pemphigus, pemphigoid, Darier, and Hailey-Hailey disease. At the University of Washington, he has built a translational research lab focused on understanding these rare blistering disorders and identifying new therapeutic strategies. Dr. Simpson is also Chair of the AAD Teledermatology Committee and is committed to continuing to optimize virtual healthcare technology to improve access to our specialty, especially for marginalized populations and those living with rare dermatologic disorders.
SESSIONS
DISCLOSURES
argenx – Advisory Board(Fees); LEO Foundation – Investigator(Grants/Research Funding); Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Development America – Advisory Board(Fees); United Health Care – Employee(Salary), Employee(Stock Options);