Philosophy of Care

As a clinical microbiologist, my philosophy of patient care is rooted in the belief that accurate, timely, and context-aware diagnostic information is essential to effective medical decision-making. I view the microbiology laboratory not as a behind-the-scenes or non–patient-facing service, but as an integral part of the patient care team. Over decades of experience, I have learned that our role extends beyond identifying pathogens; it involves translating complex data into actionable insights that guide antimicrobial therapy, prevent transmission, and support clinical management. I am committed to building systems that enable real-time diagnostics, strengthen communication with frontline providers, and promote responsible stewardship of both antibiotics and diagnostic resources. I believe that each culture result, susceptibility profile, or molecular finding tells a patient’s story,  often one marked by vulnerability and urgency, and I strive to ensure that our laboratory efforts contribute meaningfully to their care, safety, and outcomes.

Clinical Interests

Dr. Qin, Ph.D., is a clinical microbiologist with over thirty years of experience in medical microbiology and a specialist in the molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases. As a microbiology laboratory director, she has remained actively engaged in adopting and integrating cutting-edge technologies that have transformed the diagnostic paradigm—from traditional, incubation-based methods to real-time, around-the-clock detection and identification of pathogens at the point they emerge or multiply. Her clinical interests focus on optimizing diagnostic workflows to improve patient outcomes, with particular emphasis on rapid identification of bloodstream infections, syndromic molecular testing, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and the management of multidrug-resistant organisms. Dr. Qin is also deeply involved in antimicrobial stewardship efforts, leveraging diagnostic data to support targeted therapy and minimize unnecessary antibiotic use. She is committed to ensuring that diagnostic innovations are implemented with clinical impact in mind, bridging the gap between laboratory findings and bedside decision-making. Her work includes collaboration with infectious disease specialists, intensivists, and hospital epidemiologists to strengthen infection prevention strategies and improve the care of complex, high-risk patients.

Research/Academic Interests

Dr. Qin was among the early pioneers in developing culture-independent methods to detect bacterial and fungal pathogens when cultivation fails. She has applied broad-range 16S and ITS PCR with sequencing to identify pathogens directly from normally sterile specimens such as synovial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural and peritoneal fluids, heart valves, and surgical tissues.

Her work explores not only the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance but also the broader impact of treatment on microbial ecology, including disruption of the microbiota. Using culture-based methods, genomic technologies, and proteomic mass spectrometry, Dr. Qin investigates shifts in microbial communities and the consequences of dysbiosis, with a focus on strategies to restore a healthy microbiome.

In addition, Dr. Qin studies bacterial small-colony variants (SCVs)—slow-growing, highly antibiotic-tolerant forms often overlooked by standard diagnostics. SCVs are linked to chronic focal infections in bone, joint, urinary, and respiratory sites, particularly in cystic fibrosis. She proposes that SCVs may represent an early host-microbe symbiosis and an evolutionary dead-end. Dr. Qin advocates for revised laboratory standards and tailored treatment approaches to improve detection and management of SCV-associated infections.