The Forsburg Lab Pombe Pages average 800+ visitors a day from all around the world--more than 100,000 visitors to the front page alone, since we started counting in November 1995. The site now includes over 50 different pages, including the Women in Biology Internet Launch Pages (started in December 1997). We've received a number of awards (listed on our home page or on the Women in bio page, depending upon which part of our site won it). We enjoy hearing what people think of our site and how they use it. Tell us what you think, and let us know what else you'd like to see on the Pombe Pages, or the Launch Page. And thanks to everyone who has said such nice things about us. :^) (We relocated from The Salk Institute to USC in 2004).
Comments in print
Online reviews (in chronological order)
Readers' comments
What they say in print:
Susan Forsburg maintains her laboratory page at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. This site includes an introduction to S. pombe biology, with emphasis on DNA replication and the cell cycle. An impressive array of technical information is available, including sources of strains and plasmids, technical references, vectors and selectable markers, and more. There is also a list of S. pombe home pages. Forsburg's pages are remarkably well designed and organized, combining clear text with well-chosen graphics. The site contains a wealth of information and is easy and fun to use.
Dolinski et al. (1998). Expanding Yeast Knowledge Online. Yeast 14: 1453-1469
This is a very comprehensive site on all things related to the study of the cell cycle in fission yeast; from proteins to people to protocols. The lab itself works on DNA replication in fission yeast, and in particular the role of the MCM proteins. This site has won a number of awards.
Curr Opinion Cell Biology Web Alert (1998) 10:683-684
This is the homepage for S Forsburg's laboratory (Salk Institute). The lab works on DNA replication in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. As well as forming an introduction to S. pombe and the cell cycle, this is also very useful resource for people working with fission yeast. There are a number of protocols, including descriptions of cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry and how to transform fission yeast, as well as media recipes and tables of genetic marker vectors. On the lab's research page there is a description of the control of DNA replication in fission yeast. This includes a figure of the gene products involved in replication; this figure has clickable links to the Entrez database entry for each protein.
Curr Opinion Cell Biology Web Alert (1997) 9:755-756.
(The Women in Biology Internet Launch Page) This interesting site, which is a little over a year old, is a well-organized set of links relating to women in biology and in science in general. Rooted with a strong organizational scheme, Women in Biology is primarily a single page of links that is put together so well, the user will likely find all they need about the topic in one place. Information is organized into several categories, such as history, organizations, career, resources, policies, education, and miscellaneous. Best of all, each link has been carefully chosen, so the user does not waste time with irrelevant information. Genetic Engineering News, May (?) 1999
The Women in Biology Internet Launch Page has a list of alternative career web sites as well as a wealth of information.Science Career Trends, AWIS magazine, Vol 28 p23
A neuroscientist sends out the same CV under two first names--one male, the other female--and gets a far more positive response to the man's application. Anecdotes like this fuel the debate over why women scientists lag behind their male peers in pay and status.
Anyone wanting to know more about the so-called chilly climate for women in science will find plenty to chew on at the Women in Biology Internet Launch Page. Created by Salk Institute molecular biologist Susan Forsburg, the site is a collection of links to scads of online articles and reports from the past decade or so. There are studies of pay disparities, essays on whether socialization holds women back, and MIT's 1999 report finding bias against women faculty members. Other sections include history, organizations, career advice, and education. The site is "intended to help women biologists with practical aspects of busy professional lives, and to provide food for thought in those quieter moments," Forsburg writes.
Science Magazine Netwatch, vol 290, issue 5495, 17 November 2000
The Women in Biology Internet Launch Page is another one of those megalink pages that takes forever to load. Fortunately, the designers compromised a bit and broke the information up into two pages, so the wait is only half bad. The page contents are great. visotors can learn about the history of women in biology, professional organizations, affirmative action issues, and prominent women scientists of today and yesterday. They can get career advice, see job listings, and read about balancing family and science. The collection of links to well-written articles is impressive. It is hard to imagine covering the topic better than has been done here.
Services: Links; Strong Points: Superb coverage of topic; Weak Points: None; Rating: Excellent.
On the Web...Surfing for the Best Biotech Info Genetic Engineering News 21: 78 (March 15 2001)
"The Forsburg site is the best on cell cycle. These guys work on fission yeast and have links to many sites which should satisfy your thirst for knowledge on this topic. Links are to other sites on cell cycle as well as to movies on cell cycle and mitosis. This site is highly recommended!" http://www.sct.gu.edu.au/~gillian/subjects/MCB99/cellcycle_t07.html
"Not many research labs have an ocean view; this one, at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, offers that and more. They focus, they tell us, on 'the control of DNA replication and the regulation of the cell cycle in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.' Got that?"
AOL Netfind
Featured lab page
on the web-based biomagazine HMS Beagle (issue 17). The Beagle is a fan: our
pombe protocols were cited by the Beagle's
"In situ" column in issue 18 and the lab was
interviewed in issue 29. We are also contributors; Susan wrote the
"In Situ" column for issue 33. The Pombe Pages were a Beagle Webpick in issue 52. Our Women in Biology page was also Beagle Webpick, in issue 44.
The Y-Lists We were listed Oct 21 1997 on the now-defunct
Yahoo's chart o' the best
as part of the web's stranger by-ways. That's us, loosely grouped with other pages on splitting up....
(fission, get it?). We chose to view this as a compliment. :-)
Several of our pages have been included and rated in Biomedlink database (click on the link to read the review):
The Online Guide to the text BIOLOGY (Chapter 12, 5th edition, by Campbell et al.) says "Visit the homepages of this research group at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, Ca., who study the cell cycle. This really interesting site has graphic explanations of their work and provides links to cell cycle resources world wide."
Addison Wellesley Longman
Our pages are used pedagogically. A lesson plan at an online course instructs its students to "Use [The Forsburg Lab Home Pages] and find information about genomes. Write a short summary (2-3 paragraphs) of genome analysis."
Women in Biology page was featured in Online San Diego column of ComputorEdge magazine:
"This site, maintained by Susan Forsburg, Ph.D., is a page of links to Web sites around the Internet that are of interest to women biologists including biographies of famous women, women-in-science organizations, practical information about science careers, career issues for women scientists, science, education, and general women's issues."
ComputorEdge
The Women in Biology page was the
site of the month (6/99) of CCWEST (Canadian Coalition
of Women in Science, Engineering and Technology).
"This well laid out site is a collection of links to other sites on the Internet that are of particular interest to practicing women biologists at the graduate, postdoctoral, and faculty level. Visitors are welcome to suggest other sites to be added. I bet this launch pad will continue to grow, so check back often." 
Suite 101 Women in Science Links
The Opportunities in Biology page of St. Mary's College says "WOMEN IN BIOLOGY [is] a web site full of information on careers, opportunities, and a wide array of links to other
web sites focussing on women in biology and science. A must visit site for all women biologists!"
An MSU graduate course on The Nature and Practice of Science recommends the "Women In Biology Internet Launch Page--the most complete set of links I have found about surviving and thriving for EVERYONE, she includes lots of career info (getting jobs, writing posters, getting grants, getting tenure)."
A biology course links page describes the women in biology page: "Contains many links to pages that discuss the history, the future, and the present issues that face women in science.
Links of special interest about career choices and graduate school."
The Women-in-Biology page is listed by The Librarian's Index to the Internet, which is a "searchable, annotated subject directory of more than 7,000 Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians for their usefulness
to users of public libraries. It's meant to be used by both librarians and non-librarians as a reliable and efficient guide to described and evaluated Internet resources."
The Women-in-Biology page is also listed by The Argus Clearinghouse , which collects sites that offer internet guides on various subjects. They rated us 
!
Sci Tech Library Newsletter said of the women in biology page: "Not just for biologists. This is an extensive links page with all kinds of resources for women in science."
AXXS: Achieving XXellence in Science comments on women in biology: "A wonderful starting point for finding information - it provides lists of links to available information on the web regarding women in biomedical sciences especially information relevant to women who are graduate students, postdocs, or more senior scientists. The topics range from science education, to practical career issues, to the history of women in science. "
Go.com Biologist web sites ranked us
(out of three). But they got bought out by Disney and their directories were replaced by paid advertising, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.
Women's history page from Teachersfirst.org says of our women in biology pages, "Here's a "labor-of-love" site designed for women scientists. It offers some interesting demographic information on women in science, as well as "from the trenches" commentary on some of the issues confronting talented women trying to build careers." They recommend it for grades 9-12.
[Women in Biology page is a] wonderful starting point for finding information - it provides lists of links to available information on the web regarding women in biomedical sciences especially information relevant to women who are graduate students, postdocs, or more senior scientists. The topics range from science education, to practical career issues, to the history of women in science. NIH project AXXS
[Women in Biology pages provide] Fantastic career resources for women in biology. Updated regularly.From about.com (about grad school)
From The New Scientist: "Women in Biology is not full of feminist war-cries, but a directory of advice and information for women in science. It brings together various articles on the web relevant to graduates and those working in science. Broadly categorised into History, Education, Organisations and Careers, you can find advice on how to choose a PhD supervisor or read recent reports on key meetings or relevant government policies. There are discussions on gender discrimination within the scientific community but there are also light-hearted quotes, humour and book recommendations. JSG"The New Scientist site of the day 20 May 01
Also from The New Scientist: "The Forsburg laboratory has put together a super-comprehensive site about the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, appropriate for both scientists and non-scientists. For the pombe researcher, this couldn't be a better resource. Among the helpful pages are protocols, recipes, and a vector database. For the layperson, there is an introduction to yeast, pombe, and the lab's interests- DNA replication and the cell cycle. For either audience, there are loads of interesting links ranging from a live webcam of their ocean view in La Jolla, California to other pombe lab's homepages. The Women in Biology page categorizes literally hundreds of links pertaining to the history of women in science, information on education and careers in biology, and professional organizations for women biologists. HME"The New Scientist site of the day (22 June 2001)
We were given 
by the career site Phds.org
The Women in Bio page is listed as one of the year 2001's top 100 "most influential and important biotechnology Websites" by Genetic Engineering News
The Women in Biology pages are listed on Popular Science's weblinks page
The FEMS yeast links site describes the pombe pages as
"Comprehensive pages on Schizosaccharomyces pombe teaching and research (especially cell cycle) including protocols, vectors, meetings, addresses and many links"
From a links page at Lancashire: "This site is the most comprehensive S. pombe resource on the web. The information ranges from practical media preparations, to choice of plasmids, cosmid sequences, basic molecular biology protocols customised for S. pombe plus several tips and tricks. "
I have looked at a lot of lab home pages and yours is one of the best I have seen! It is very well laid out and has a lot of really useful information in addition to research summaries.
Your homepage is an inspiration. I hope some day to have the time to do even half as good a job with our lab's home page!
I must tell you that I love your Web site. It is a must-see for any pombe or pseudo-pombe researchers; you have done a wonderful job.
Thank you for all the great information you are providing the fission yeast researchers on your home page. I use it frequently for a quick reference.
Please accept my congratulations on your wonderful web site. I have watched it grow and change over time. You have performed a great service for the biological community.
I would like to commend you on the elegant and resourceful web site you have put together.
I did check out your Web site and found it very useful...you're a star!
I found your very helpful homepage on the www. I am very impressed and I plan to use it frequently.
CONGRATULATIONS on your WEB page, it's a great service for the pombe community, I really enjoyed it!
You guys have the coolest web page. I'm jealous.
Your web page really is cool. You need to be teaching!
I have focused my attention to collect useful yeast sites. Sure your site is very useful.
You guys/gals are really great! Thanks for posting the info about MCM proteins etc....I desperately need to find out about MCM proteins and found out the answers here. regards, a relieved student
I particularly want to thank you
for providing such informative S. pombe website for the community.
(About the women in biology page) I love your site! Thanks for taking the time to compile all that information into one place. ....This is a very valuable resource (that I plan on pointing out to many folks)-(liked your lab web page too :))-. It is good to see
involved faculty.....
(About the women in biology page) WOW! This is fabulous! I spent hours here! Great stuff!
(About the women in biology page)Just a quick note to let you know I was impressed with your web
site...that must have taken a lot of work to compile! I heard about it in a
recent issue of "Genetic Engineering News"...just thought I'd let you know
that your site was reviewed there, in case you didn't know. It got a very
favorable review!
(About the pombe pages) I'm just writing to say that you have a great site. It is very informative
and has a lot of cool links. We have added a link to your site from our
lab's webpage.
Wow! Your Women in Biology site is spectacular! Very nicely and done--"comprehensive" doesn't come near.
(About the pombe pages) You have a very impressive site.
I checked out your website. It is totally awesome! The women in biology
site was great. The yeast stuff was cool, too-- even though they *are*
eukaryotes ;-). I was very impressed indeed!
Wow! Great web-site; you are an inspiration. Thanks also for caring enough to create the Women in science internet launch web-site. You really are making a difference.
Your website is very impressive and thorough. I found it while surfing some science news sites and following links. The page appears to address many of the realities of the job situation for women scientists and Ph.D.s in general. The contrast between the promise of modern molecular biology and the reality of science academia is difficult - certainly the Internet can bridge some of the isolation that can be encountered. Your site is very helpful and I appreciate all the effort that it must take to maintain it.
I found your
Women in Biology page while starting a search for postdocs and
fellowships. The site is fabulous!
(About the Women in biology page) You've done a terrific job gathering this information. I can't think of a more comprehensive listing.
Thanks for maintaining such a treasure of pombe resources on your web
pages.
(About the Women in biology page) I found your web page most interesting and extremely thorough.
Congratulations for putting this together. ... It is exciting to come across a
website like yours.
...you're a true leader in putting
useful scientific services onto the Web.
We have recently taken an interest in S. pombe. We have been heavily relying on your website, a resource for which we are very grateful. Congratulations.
I've watched the Launch page grow
since its inception. It is really an incredible resource and very helpful
even for those of us not in biology. I'm writing because to thank you because I found the site very useful in
job negotiations this year.
I've admired your web page for a while, but never got around to complimenting
you. It's truly a wonderful site.
A friend of mine thought I might enjoy this site and sent me the address. I must say that it has been a bit of a boost for me - especially
when I have been feeling quite discouraged lately. . . spending some time on this site has helped raise my spirits today and with luck I'll come out on top once again. Thanks to you, and to all the women who struggle in science, from the bottom
of my heart.
© S. L. Forsburg .
