Jane Poinsette’s interest in the brain became personal long before she stepped into a college classroom. Watching her grandmother decline from a neurological disorder, Poinsette saw the limits of medicine and the toll it takes on families searching for answers. 

“Watching her deteriorate was very hard,” she said. “It made me think, what about the people medicine doesn’t work for?” 

Now a senior neuroscience major in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, that question continues to shape her path toward a future that blends research, medicine and patient care.

Growing up in Greenville, SC, in a family of physicians, Poinsette was always drawn to science. But her grandmother’s experience pushed her to think more deeply about care beyond traditional treatment.

“I always wished there was a meeting point between neurology and psychiatry,” she said. “I want to understand both the mental health side and what’s actually happening in the brain.”

When she started at the University of South Carolina, she was drawn to both mental health and biology. She found ways to explore both as a registered behavior technician and a neuroscience major. Poinsette spent two years working with children with autism, helping them build communication and emotional regulation skills. 

“You’re going into their home, building rapport and helping them learn how to navigate challenges,” she said. “It made me realize I could make a difference.”

In the lab, she worked with psychology professor Alex Reynolds to study how sleep affects cognitive function, including attention, memory and stress. She tested whether blue-light blocking glasses could help college students improve their sleep habits.

Her early findings showed that wearing the glasses reduced students’ stress and made their sleep more restful. She presented her research at Discover USC and won a Magellan Scholarship grant to help fund the sleep research.

Along the way, courses in ethics and psychology expanded her perspective on healthcare and human behavior. 

“Things aren’t black and white,” she said. “I’ve learned how to understand different perspectives.” 

After graduating from USC in May, Poinsette will move to Providence, Rhode Island, to intern at Brown University’s Bradley Sleep Research Lab, studying sleep in children with autism and individuals experiencing opioid withdrawal. After taking the MCAT this summer and a gap year to travel, she plans to apply to medical school. 

“I want to be the person who gives hope to families,” she said. “I feel prepared to go out into the world and test it out,” she added. 

Her advice to other students: take advantage of opportunities and don’t be afraid to explore. 

“If it’s something you’re passionate about, go for it,” she said.