Donna J. Forbes

Associate Professor emeritus

Research

Current interests:

• Development of multimedia instructional materials and analysis of their efficacy for medical education.

Past Interests:

• Development of a corneal epithelium-trigeminal ganglion co-culture system for the study of neuron-target cell interactions.
• Role of extracellular matrix in the maintenance of corneal epithelium.
• Role of the trigeminal ganglion in the developmental organization of central aspects of the trigeminal projection in rodents: time of origin analysis of trigeminal ganglion neurons, differentiation of trigeminal ganglion neurons in the early post-natal period and development of Merkel cell receptors in the vibrissae during early post-natal life.

Education

• 1964 B.A. Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL (Biology)
• 1967 M.S. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (Physiology)
• 1971 Ph.D. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (Neurophysiology)
• 1971-1973 Post-doctoral fellowship University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (Neuroanatomy)

Teaching

• Course Director, Med 6573: Nervous System
• Med 6505: Applied Anatomy; selected topics in Embryology
• Course Director, Nervous System Board Review Course

Publications

Publications on PubMed

Educational Materials Developed:

Forbes, D. J. and A. R. Severson, 2001. NeuroTime®, A Computer-based, Multimedia Learning Program.

Forbes, D.J. Laboratory Guide to Neuroanatomy, revised annually.

Guillery, R.W. and D.J. Forbes, 1973. The Study of the Human Brain. A series of color videotapes of the intact and dissected brain. 

Selected publications:

Forbes, D.J., R.S. Pozos and J.D. Nelson, 1987. Co-culture of rat corneal epithelium and trigeminal ganglion neurons. Current Eye Research 6(3): 507-514.

Forbes, D.J., R.S. Pozos, J.D. Nelson, and P.H. Lima, 1984. Characterization of rat corneal epithelium maintained in tissue culture. Current Eye Research 3(12): 1471-1479.

Forbes, D.J. and C. Welt, 1981. Neurogenesis in the trigeminal ganglion of the albino rat: A quantitative autoradiographic study. Journal of Comparative Neurology 199(1): 133-147.

Forbes, D.J. and R.W. Petry, 1979. Computer-assisted mapping with the light microscope. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 1(1): 77-94.

Himwich, W.A., J.M. Davis, D.J. Forbes, S.N. Glisson, T. Magnusson, M.A. Stout, and D.M. Trusty, 1972. Indole metabolism and behavior in dog. Biological Psychiatry 4(1): 51-63.

Burton, H., D.J. Forbes, R.M. Benjamin, 1970. Thalamic neurons responsive to temperature changes of glabrous hand and foot skin in squirrel monkey. Brain Research 24: 179-190.