Raven Simpson is a nurse-researcher whose academic and clinical journey has been defined by a passion for discovery, translation, and impact. With dual degrees in Nursing and Psychology from the University of Memphis—where she graduated summa cum laude—Simpson blends a deep understanding of neuroscience, patient care, and translational research to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Simpson’s early research experiences focused on neurodegenerative diseases and visual disorders, leading to co-authorship on several peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Frontiers in Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics, Biomolecules, and Nutritional Neuroscience. As her interests evolved, she shifted her focus from basic science to the clinical interface, becoming a registered nurse and later joining St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a Clinical Research Associate supporting the Brain Tumor Clinic.
Her research interests center on translational and implementation science—areas where she seeks to optimize clinical research workflows and bridge the gap between bench and bedside. She is particularly motivated by the potential to improve how innovations in the lab are brought into real-world clinical settings, enhancing both efficiency and patient-centered care.
Simpson has received numerous academic honors, including multiple Dean’s Awards, the NIH Diversity Supplement, and recognition for outstanding undergraduate achievement. Through the Master’s in Clinical Investigations program at the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, she aims to formalize her research training and further develop the skills needed to lead translational studies that shape the future of pediatric care.
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Education:
2021 - BS, Nursing – University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing
2018 - BA, Psychology (Concentration in Behavioral Neuroscience, Minors in Biology and Spanish) – University of Memphis
Awards/Honors/Scholarships:
2024 - NIH Diversity Grant Supplementation
2018, 2021 - Summa Cum Laude
2018 - Dean’s Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Student
2015-20 - Dean's Award (7x)
Publications:
Hollingsworth TJ, Wang X, White WA, Simpson RN, Jablonski MM. Chronic Proinflammatory Signaling Accelerates the Rate of Degeneration in a Spontaneous Polygenic Model of Inherited Retinal Dystrophy. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Mar 21;13:839424. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.839424. PMID: 35387333; PMCID: PMC8978607.
Hollingsworth TJ, Hubbard MG, Levi HJ, White W, Wang X, Simpson R, Jablonski MM, Gross AK. Proinflammatory Pathways Are Activated in the Human Q344X Rhodopsin Knock-In Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa. Biomolecules. 2021; 11(8):1163. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11081163
Helen J. Sable, John J. MacDonnchadh, Harold W. Lee, Matthew Butawan, Raven N. Simpson, Katie M. Krueger & Richard J. Bloomer (2021) Working memory and hippocampal expression of BDNF, ARC, and P-STAT3 in rats: effects of diet and exercise, Nutritional Neuroscience, DOI: 10.1080/1028415X.2021.1885230
Ibrahim MM, Maria DN, Wang X, Simpson RN, Hollingsworth TJ, Jablonski MM. Enhanced Corneal Penetration of a Poorly Permeable Drug Using Bioadhesive Multiple Microemulsion Technology. Pharmaceutics. 2020 Jul 26;12(8):704. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12080704. PMID: 32722550; PMCID: PMC7463957.
Chintalapudi, S. R., Wang, X. , Wang, X. , Shi, Y. , Kocak, M. , Palamoor, M. , Davis, R.N., Hollingsworth, T. J. and Jablonski, M. M. (2019 July), NA3 glycan: a potential therapy for retinal pigment epithelial deficiency. FEBS J. doi:10.1111/febs.15006
Stiemke, A. B., Sah, E., Simpson, R. N., Lu, L., Williams, R. W., & Jablonski, M. M. (2020). Systems Genetics of Optic Nerve Axon Necrosis During Glaucoma. Frontiers in genetics, 11, 31. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.00031