A life with horses: it's been a great ride!

Abstract

In 2010 Doug Antczak was the recipient of the Distinguished Veterinary Immunologist Award of the Veterinary Immunology Committee of the International Union of Immunological Societies. Dr. Antczak is the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine at the Baker Institute for Animal Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. His research focuses on immunological and genetic aspects of the fetal-maternal relationship in the horse. This includes studies of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes and molecules, the regulation of their expression in the placenta, the composition and function of uterine lymphocytes, and alterations in maternal immune reactivity during pregnancy. For this research Dr. Antczak developed a herd of purpose-bred horses selected for homozygosity at the MHC. These horses are a unique genetic resource in equine immunology. During his career Dr. Antczak has mentored over 20 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, many of whom have gone on to independent careers in immunology research. Dr. Antczak has made contributions to equine immunology, genetics, and reproduction, and collaborated widely with scientists in each of these disciplines. Through his relationship with the Havemeyer Foundation, Dr. Antczak has been a catalyst for cooperative research through a series of Havemeyer Foundation Workshops initiated over 25 years ago. Since 1995 he has been a principal participant in the international Horse Genome Project collaboration furthering his equine immunology research through genomic applications. In 2009 Dr. Antczak was inducted into the University of Kentucky's Equine Research Hall of Fame.