Cory

Simpson

MD

PhD

FAAD

about dr. simpson

Dr. Cory Simpson is a board-certified dermatologist at the UW Roosevelt Dermatology Clinic and an Assistant Professor in the UW Department of Dermatology. A native of Granite City, Illinois, Dr. Simpson received his MD and PhD in Cell Biology from Northwestern University in Chicago, with his doctoral thesis focused on the role of desmosomal cadherins in epidermal differentiation and skin disease. After his residency in dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Simpson was as a Clinical Instructor and Postdoctoral Fellow at Penn, where he built a subspecialty clinic focused on patients with inherited and autoimmune skin blistering disorders.

Dr. Simpson’s clinical expertise includes diagnosis and treatment of pemphigus and pemphigoid as well as genetic skin disorders such as Darier disease, Hailey-Hailey disease, and ichthyosis.

Dr. Simpson is an active member of the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) appointed to the Scientific Program Committee (2022-2027) and elected to a five-year term on the Board of Directors (2025-2030). In 2025, he was selected by the American Board of Dermatology as an exam item writer on the Science & Research Committee. He is also involved in the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), participating in the Academy’s Diversity Mentorship Program and the Intersociety Diversity Task Force and serving as Chair of the Teledermatology Committee from 2023-2025. As well, he is completing a second term on the Membership Committee of the American Society for Cell Biology.

Education & Training

Post-doctoral Fellowship in Cutaneous Biology, Dept. of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA (2016-2021)

Residency in Dermatology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (2013-2016)

Internship in Internal Medicine, University of Chicago, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, IL (2012-2013)

PhD, Cell Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL (2005-2010)

MD, Medical Scientist Training Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL (2003-2012)

BA in Biology, Minor in Spanish (Summa Cum Laude), Washington University, St. Louis, MO (1999-2003)