About

Qi N. Cui, MD, PhD, is the F.M. Kirby Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. She serves as the Director of the Imaging and Electrophysiology Core Module at the Penn Vision Research Center and is the Associate Program Director of Resident Research at the Scheie Eye Institute. Her clinical expertise focuses on the diagnosis and management of glaucoma, including performing glaucoma and cataract surgeries such as minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). Her research interests are centered on understanding glaucoma pathogenesis and identifying novel treatments, with a particular focus on neuroinflammation, neuroprotection, and the role of immune cells like macrophages and microglia in retinal and optic nerve degeneration. Her lab actively investigates the neuroprotective potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists and iron chelation therapies in glaucoma, aiming to develop treatments that go beyond intraocular pressure reduction to prevent vision loss.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Medicine
• Biology
• Ophthalmology
• Family medicine
• Surgery
• Demography
• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Evolutionary biology
• Business
• Medical education

Selected publications

• Molecular insights into the anti-asthma potential of Zhimu-Chuanbeimu drug pair based on serum pharmacochemistry, network pharmacology and immune infiltration analysis

  Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis · 2025-07-23 · 3 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Relationship between Street-View Green Space and School Myopia in Hubei Province: A Multi-Center Cross-Sectional Study

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• The effect of social participation on depressive symptoms in older women adults in China: A tracking survey database

  PLoS ONE · 2025-05-08 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background Under the context of active aging, older women face prominent mental health risks due to their dual vulnerability stemming from biological characteristics and social roles. Given the existing practical bottlenecks in current research namely, unclear mechanisms regarding how social participation alleviates geriatric depression and insufficient studies on population heterogeneity. It is important to analyze the impact of social participation on depressive symptoms of older women in China and to implement corresponding policy systems. METHODS: Based on the 2018 health and old-age care tracking survey database in China, 3047 subjects older female were included (mean age = 69.46 years).Depressive symptoms were measured using the CESD-10 depression scale from the database, and 11 categories of social activity questionnaires were utilized to reflect the level of social participation. The impact of social participation on the depressive symptoms of older women in China was empirically analyzed using the common least squares (OLS) and two-stage least squares (2SLS) methods, and tested the endogenous and robustness of the subjects, the heterogeneity of age and urban-rural areas, and the mediating effect of self-rated health were tested using the sobel method. RESULTS: Social participation improved the depressive symptoms of older women(β=-0.789, P < 0.01), and the variable method confirmed the estimated results through the endogeneity and robustness tests. At the same time, there was age and urban-rural heterogeneity. Social participation has a greater impact on depression symptoms in older adults 60-80 + than 80 + , and in urban areas than in rural areas. And social participation indirectly affected depression through self-assessment of health, and the indirect effect accounted for 21.4% (β = -0.139, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In the process of actively dealing with the aging of the population, the older women should be actively encouraged to participate in social activities such as community volunteering and hobby activities. According to the physical and mental development characteristics of different older groups, the government should formulate targeted social participation policies and improve relevant facilities for the elderly and the old-age security system.

  PublisherDOI

• Loss of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 reduced monocyte recruitment and preserved retinal ganglion cells in a mouse model of hypertensive glaucoma

  Experimental Eye Research · 2025-03-07 · 5 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Risk factors of sentinel lymph node metastasis in early-stage invasive breast cancer

  Scientific Reports · 2025-07-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This study aimed to determine the key risk factors affecting sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis and to help improve the selection of appropriate candidates for SLN biopsy (SLNB). A total of 2143 cases that underwent SLNB were included. Multivariate analysis included the statistically significant parameters in univariate analysis and revealed the independent risk factors for SLN metastasis: age younger than 40 years old, central tumor location, tumor larger than 3 cm, round-shaped and cortex-thickened axillary lymph node examined by ultrasound, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and histological classification of invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST) and invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC). The most powerful prognostic factor for SLN metastasis is IMPC (P < 0.001), which increases more than 11 times the risk of SLN positivity. The distance between the tumor and nipple of ≤ 1 cm, LVI, and age younger than 40 years old are also with P value < 0.001. The identification of predictors for SLN metastases based on clinicopathological characteristics could guide the SLNB practice conveniently, especially in less developed areas. Patients with theses revealed adverse features should undergo SLNB with deliberation to avoid a second surgery, particularly when multiple risk factors exist.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Improving the efficacy of functional endoscopic sinus surgery in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps through the combination of budesonide infiltration therapy

  BMC Surgery · 2025-12-13

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a refractory inflammatory disorder often necessitating functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) after inadequate response to medical therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of combining FESS with intraoperative budesonide infiltration therapy in patients with CRSwNP. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted from January 2022 to June 2024, including 209 CRSwNP patients. The observation group (n = 91) received FESS with intraoperative budesonide infiltration, while the control group (n = 118) underwent FESS alone. Clinical efficacy, olfactory function, mucociliary clearance, nasal ventilation function, complication rates, and recurrence were assessed. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The observation group demonstrated significantly higher clinical efficacy, with a total effective rate of 87.91% compared to 66.95% in the control group (p < 0.001). Improvements were observed in olfactory function (1.08 ± 0.05 vs. 2.36 ± 0.18, p < 0.001), ciliary clearance rate (72.32 ± 6.05% vs. 66.24 ± 6.47%, p < 0.001), and ciliary clearance speed (5.51 ± 0.73 mm/min vs. 4.01 ± 0.73 mm/min, p < 0.001). Additionally, the incidence of complications was significantly lower in the observation group (4.40% vs. 12.71%, p = 0.04). No systemic corticosteroid-related adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: FESS combined with intraoperative budesonide infiltration therapy might improve olfactory recovery, nasal function, and overall clinical efficacy, while potentially reducing postoperative complications in CRSwNP patients, suggesting it could be a safe and effective adjunctive intervention.

  PublisherDOI

• Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge-Fritillaria Cirrhosae Bulbus Herb Pair Alleviates Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma by Regulating Arachidonic Acid Pathway

  Drug Design Development and Therapy · 2025-05-01

  articleOpen access

  Background: Bulbus, CBM) (ZC) is one of the most classical herb pairs used in the treatment of lung diseases such as asthma. This study aimed to investigate how ZC affects asthma and its mechanism. Methods: Asthma model rats were sensitized by ovalbumin. The anti-asthma efficacy of ZM, CBM and ZC were evaluated through analysis of lung function, pathological sections and biochemical indices. Metabolomics based on UHPLC-QTOF-MS was conducted to determine the synergistic anti-asthma effect of combination therapy. Asthma targets and mechanism prediction were performed using network pharmacology. Then, the potential anti-asthma mechanism of ZC was explored using RT-qPCR. Results: According to the lung function test, Hematoxylin-Eosin Staining experiment, ZC herb pair had an obvious anti-asthma effect over either ZM or CBM alone. It has also been demonstrated that positive effect of ZC against Th1/Th2 immune imbalance. Both metabolomics and network pharmacology were highly enriched in the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway. The mRNA expression levels of ALOX5, PLA2G4A and CYP1A2, critical targets in arachidonic acid metabolism, were significantly down-regulated by RT-qPCR. Conclusion: By reducing the expression of cytokines and chemokines mediated by the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, ZC could alleviate OVA-induced asthma in vivo. It was the first to demonstrate the complex mechanism of ZC for the treatment of asthma. Meanwhile, a new paradigm was established for evaluating the pharmacological effects of TCM drugs for asthma based on multiple mechanisms.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A multi-cohort genome-wide association study in African ancestry individuals reveals risk loci for primary open-angle glaucoma

  UNC Libraries · 2025-02-01

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Fluorescent identification of axons, dendrites and soma of neuronal retinal ganglion cells with a genetic marker as a tool for facilitating the study of neurodegeneration

  FASEB BioAdvances · 2024-12-16 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract This study characterizes a fluorescent Slc17a6 ‐tdTomato neuronal reporter mouse line with strong labeling of axons throughout the optic nerve, of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) soma in the ganglion cell layer (GCL), and of RGC dendrites in the inner plexiform layer (IPL). The model facilitated assessment of RGC loss in models of degeneration and of RGC detection in mixed neural/glial cultures. The tdTomato signal showed strong overlap with &gt;98% cells immunolabeled with RGC markers RBPMS or BRN3A, consistent with the ubiquitous presence of the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGUT2, SLC17A6) in all RGC subtypes. There was no cross‐labeling of ChAT‐positive displaced amacrine cells in the GCL, although some signal emanated from the outer plexiform layer, consistent with horizontal cells. The fluorescence allowed rapid screening of RGC loss following optic nerve crush and intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. The bright fluorescence also enabled non‐invasive monitoring of extensive neurite networks and neuron/astrocyte interactions in culture. Robust Ca 2+ responses to P2X7R agonist BzATP were detected from fluorescent RGCs using Ca 2+ ‐indicator Fura‐2. Fluorescence from axons and soma was detected in vivo with a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO); automatic RGC soma counts enhanced through machine learning approached the numbers found in retinal wholemounts. Controls indicated no impact of Slc17a6 ‐tdTomato expression on light‐dependent neuronal function as measured with a microelectrode array (MEA), or on retinal structure as measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT). In summary, the bright fluorescence in axons, dendrites and soma of ~all RGCs in the Slc17a6 ‐tdTomato reporter mouse may facilitate the study of RGCs.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Health-Related Quality of Life Measure for Patients Who Undergo Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery

  American Journal of Ophthalmology · 2024-06-15 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Auditory and Visual Integration and Plasticity

  NIH · $183k · 2007–2011

• Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Dysfunction in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

  NIH · $731k · 2019–2023

Frequent coauthors

• Eydie Miller-Ellis

  University of Pennsylvania

  90 shared

• Prithvi S. Sankar

  Prevent Blindness

  86 shared

• Victoria Addis

  University of Pennsylvania

  62 shared

• Joan M. O’Brien

  University of Pennsylvania Health System

  53 shared

• Amanda K. Bicket

  Center for Devices and Radiological Health

  51 shared

• Steven D. Vold

  51 shared

• Oluwatosin Smith

  University of California, Los Angeles

  51 shared

• Ronald L. Fellman

  51 shared

Labs

• Qi N. Cui LabPI