University of Washington Department of Dermatology

What University of Washington Department of Dermatology does

The University of Washington Department of Dermatology is an academic medical department within the UW School of Medicine, operating as a public research university entity first established as a Division in 1961 and formally elevated to Department status on October 1, 2023. It delivers comprehensive clinical dermatology services — general, medical, surgical (including Mohs micrographic surgery), pediatric, dermatopathology, phototherapy, and teledermatology — across eight UW Medicine-affiliated sites in the Seattle metropolitan area, including UW Medical Center-Roosevelt, Harborview Medical Center, VA Puget Sound, Seattle Children's, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, South Lake Union Primary Care, and Eastside Specialty Center. The department serves the Pacific Northwest/WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) and draws research subjects globally for its rare-disease programs. Its revenue model blends clinical care revenue (UW Medicine billing through faculty practice plans), competitive federal and foundation research grants (NIH R01, K24, P01; LEO Foundation), state and university appropriations, and philanthropy; medical education (residency, dermatopathology fellowship, pediatric dermatology fellowship) is funded through institutional and graduate medical education channels. Recent milestones include the January 2025 launch of the MC3 Institute (Merkel Cell Carcinoma Collaborative), a $14M NCI Program Project Grant for MCC immunotherapy, and a $600K LEO Foundation Serendipity Grant for Hailey-Hailey Disease research.

Name

University of Washington Department of Dermatology

Legal name

University of Washington Department of Dermatology

Website

https://derm.uw.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The University of Washington Department of Dermatology is an academic medical department within the UW School of Medicine that delivers comprehensive dermatology care, conducts NIH-funded translational research (notably in Merkel cell carcinoma and rare skin blistering disorders), and trains residents and fellows across eight clinical sites serving the WWAMI region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dermatology Healthcare Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111), Offices of Physicians (62111), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAKACAA

General & Medical Dermatology

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Dermatology

SECONDARYHLAKACAG

Procedural Dermatology (Office-Based Surgery)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Dermatology

SECONDARYHLAKACAB

Pediatric Dermatology

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Dermatology

SECONDARYHLAKACAC

Dermatopathology

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Dermatology

SECONDARYHLALAGAA

Dermatology Telemedicine Platforms

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Telehealth Platforms/Specialty Telemedicine Platforms (e.g., dermatology, cardiology, neurology)

Keywords

• Dermatology clinical care
• Medical education
• Clinical research
• Skin disease treatment
• Academic medicine

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Clinical Care Revenue: Revenue generated from patient care services across multiple clinical sites including UW Medical Center-Roosevelt, Harborview, VA Puget Sound, Seattle Children's, and Fred Hutch Cancer Center
2. Research Grants and NIH Funding: Federal and foundation funding including NIH grants (R01, K24, P01 program project grants), LEO Foundation serendipity grants, and institutional endowments
3. Medical Education Programs: Residency and fellowship training programs producing dermatologists for the WWAMI region

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The University of Washington Department of Dermatology is an academic medical department that provides specialized clinical dermatology care to patients, trains medical residents and fellows in dermatology, and conducts clinical and translational research on skin diseases. Patient services span general dermatology, pediatric dermatology, dermatologic surgery, dermatopathology, and cosmetic dermatology, delivered through UW Medicine clinics and teledermatology channels.

Product overview

The University of Washington Department of Dermatology offers a comprehensive portfolio of healthcare services, research programs, and educational offerings. The clinical operations span multiple specialized centers including the Dermatologic Surgery Center at UWMC-Roosevelt (offering Mohs micrographic surgery), general and medical dermatology, pediatric dermatology, dermatopathology, phototherapy, and teledermatology. The department's research infrastructure includes the Merkel Cell Carcinoma Collaborative (MC3) Institute focused on translational MCC research, the Nghiem Lab (skin cancer/MCC biology), and the Simpson Lab (skin biology/blistering disorders research). Educational programs encompass a three-year dermatology residency program, dermatopathology fellowship, and pediatric dermatology fellowship, complemented by Grand Rounds and annual lectures including the George F. Odland Lecture and Robert A. Pommerening Memorial Lecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MC3 Institute (Merkel Cell Carcinoma Collaborative): A global hub for Merkel cell carcinoma translational research, providing resources, training, and collaboration opportunities for MCC investigators worldwide.
• Simpson Lab
• Nghiem Lab

Products and services

• General Dermatology Clinical Care Evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of common and complex skin conditions in adult and pediatric patients, delivered through UW Medicine outpatient clinics.
• Pediatric Dermatology Subspecialty dermatology care for infants, children, and adolescents with congenital and acquired skin disorders, provided through UW Medicine pediatric dermatology clinics.
• Dermatologic Surgery and Mohs Surgery Surgical treatment of skin cancers, including Mohs micrographic surgery, and other procedural dermatology services offered to referred patients.
• Dermatopathology Services Histopathological interpretation of skin biopsies performed by dermatopathology specialists, supporting both internal dermatology care and external referring clinicians.
• Cosmetic Dermatology Cosmetic and aesthetic dermatology procedures (e.g., injectables, laser treatments) offered to patients seeking elective skin care services.
• Dermatology Residency Program ACGME-accredited graduate medical education program training physician residents in dermatology, combining clinical rotations, didactics, and research.
• Dermatology Fellowship Programs Subspecialty fellowship training (e.g., dermatopathology, Mohs surgery, pediatric dermatology) for physicians who have completed dermatology residency.
• Teledermatology Consultations Remote dermatology consultations delivered via secure telehealth platform, enabling patient access without in-person visits.
• Clinical and Translational Research in Dermatology Faculty-led research programs investigating skin diseases, treatment outcomes, and translational science, typically funded by NIH, foundations, and industry sponsors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,900 MCC patients tracked in database with data used to write practice-changing papers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Fred Hutch Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2025Hosting the MC3 Institute with Fred Hutch providing clinical trial infrastructure. Dr. Nghiem serves as Dermatology Site Director at Fred Hutch. Fred Hutch Gene Editing Facility supports Simpson Lab research.
• Seattle Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPediatric dermatology fellowship program and clinical services. Dr. Boos and Dr. Gupta provide pediatric dermatology care at Seattle Children's.
• Northwestern University (Green Lab)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Dr. Kathleen Green's laboratory for Darier disease research. Dr. Simpson completed MD/PhD at Northwestern before joining UW.
• Pachyonychia Congenita (PC) ProjectsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatient advocacy organization supporting rare skin disease research. Organized Epidermal Differentiation Disorders Symposium where Dr. Simpson presented.
• Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types (FIRST)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatient advocacy foundation supporting EDD research. Previously funded Simpson Lab through Research Grant Program. Dr. Simpson now serves on Medical and Scientific Advisory Board.
• Decoding Darier's DiseaseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatient advocacy group for Darier disease research community collaborating on EDD Symposium.
• Washington State Dermatology Association / Seattle Dermatologic SocietysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMerged organizations providing continuing education and exchange of ideas. Close partnership with UW Department of Dermatology for educational programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mayo Clinic Department of Dermatology: Large multi-specialty academic medical center dermatology practice with residency and fellowship programs, dermatopathology, Mohs surgery, and substantial clinical trial portfolio; broader institutional scale than UW Dermatology but overlapping specialty and research offerings.

Direct peers

• Columbia University Department of Dermatology: Academic dermatology department within a major medical school combining residency training, subspecialty clinics, and NIH-funded research programs in skin biology and immunology, directly comparable in structure.
• NYU Langone Department of Dermatology: Large urban academic dermatology department with high NIH funding, a residency program, and subspecialty clinics including dermatologic surgery, dermatopathology, and pediatric dermatology, comparable in research breadth and clinical scale.
• Stanford University Department of Dermatology: Peer academic dermatology department within a top-tier research medical school, offering residency/fellowship training, NIH-funded basic and translational research, and comprehensive subspecialty care across multiple hospital sites in a major metro. Directly comparable as an academic dermatology unit competing for NIH funding, faculty recruits, and residency applicants.
• University of Pennsylvania Department of Dermatology: Ivy League academic dermatology department with a long-standing residency program, pediatric dermatology at CHOP, and significant NIH funding in cutaneous biology and immunology. Directly comparable in scope, training programs, and research orientation.
• University of Michigan Department of Dermatology: Public-university academic dermatology department with strong NIH funding, Mohs surgery, dermatopathology, and regional referral base analogous to UW Dermatology within a public state research university.
• UCSF Department of Dermatology: Closely comparable West Coast academic dermatology department combining clinical care across multiple hospitals, an ACGME residency, dermatopathology fellowship, and substantial NIH-funded research portfolio in skin biology and oncology.

Others

• Fred Hutch Cancer Center: Strategic host partner rather than competitor: hosts the MC3 Institute, supports the Fred Hutch Gene Editing Facility used by Simpson Lab, and provides clinical trial infrastructure; included because of its deep operational entanglement with UW Dermatology's research and oncology programs.
• Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID): Not a peer in a competitive sense but a closely related ecosystem organization: the international research society in which UW Dermatology faculty (e.g., Cory Simpson on the Board of Directors) actively participate, hosting annual meetings where UW presents and recruits.

Regional players

• Oregon Health & Science University Department of Dermatology: Nearby Pacific Northwest academic dermatology program providing similar residency training, Mohs surgery, and teledermatology services; competes with UW for WWAMI-region patient referrals, faculty recruits, and resident applicants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@uwderm
• Facebookfacebook.com/UWDerm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-washington-department-of-dermatology
• Instagraminstagram.com/seaderms/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Washington Department of Dermatology