Melanie Pincus, PhD

Dr. Melanie Blair Pincus is a neuroscientist, artist, and educator with a passion for crafting experiences that catalyze self-discovery and transformation. Melanie became interested in modalities that spur personal growth and rewire the brain during her PhD in neuroscience at Emory University, where she studied the legacy of early-life stress on the developing brain. She is compelled by both play and non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSC) as powerful tools that promote flexible brain states for healing and flourishing. In her roles as chief scientific officer for two psychedelic startups, she has designed multi-omics psilocybin research programs with botanical mushrooms to explore the potential of NOSC for personal growth. Melanie’s new venture, Syncopy Design Lab (syncopydesignlab.com), is an experience design studio creating experiences that facilitate deeper states of connectedness to self, community, and the natural world. The lab weaves together transformative principles, biosensing technology, neuroaesthetic design, play, and NOSC to offer impactful art installations, workshops and retreats.

Previous Articles

From Taboo to Treatment: The Resurgence of Psychedelic Medicine
June 1, 2024 (Vol. 25, Issue 6)
Trending
News / Profession
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution: China’s New National Standard
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution

On April 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark national standard: Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution. Although designated as a recommended rather than mandatory standard, it represents a major step in modernizing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by converting traditional constitution theory into a clear, measurable and clinically practical framework. By clarifying the relationship between constitution, disease, and pattern differentiation, the standard strengthens professional credibility, supports research, and enhances patient-centered treatment.

Ann Y Wang, CMD (China), LAc
News / Profession
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change

The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.

Shabnam Pourhassani, LAc, QME, DACM
Acupuncture & Acupressure
It’s Time to Stop Prescribing Points
It's Time to Stop Prescribing Points

A student stands over a patient, needle poised. They have a “perfect” prescription: a textbook combination of points harvested from a lecture slide on chronic lower back pain. But as the needle meets the skin, the student hesitates - the symptom of a quiet habit that has taken hold of our profession. We routinely say we “prescribe” points. It sounds efficient. It echoes the authority of biomedical culture and fits neatly into the insurance field. But vocabulary is never neutral; repeated long enough, it dictates behavior.

Bruce W. Park, DACM