Confer, Anthony W

Veterinary Pathobiology
250 McElroy Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078-2007
Office: (405) 744-4542
Laboratory: (405) 744-4388
Fax: (405) 744-5275
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Born and raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Married Carolyn Pope in 1970; four children and 10 grandchildren. Served 2 years in the Air Force as Captain, Veterinary Corp. stationed at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC 1974-1976. Graduate work and pathology training at Ohio State and the University of Missouri as an NIH postdoctoral trainee and fellow, respectively. Associate Professor of Pathology 1978 - 1981, Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine. Associate Professor to Professor of Pathology 1981 - present, Oklahoma State University, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. Department Head 1986 - 1999; Associate Dean for Research 1999- 2001, Department Head 2004 - 2008. Oklahoma State University Regents Professor 2003 - present. Awards: OSU Eminent Faculty Award 2003, Pfizer (previously Beecham) Award for Research Excellence 1985, 2011; Norden Distinguished Teaching Award 1987 & 2002; Oklahoma Journal Record “On the Brink” Award for Research Innovation 2006. Regents Distinuished Teaching Award 2010; Distinguished Alumnus, OSU CVHS 2009. Since 1981,  main research focus has been immunity against bacterial pathogens in Shipping Fever pneumonia of cattle.

Diagnostic Pathology, Pathogenesis of and immunity to infectious diseases, Immunity to Gram-negative bacteria, Bovine Respiratory Disease

Immunity to Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida outer membrane proteins

Regents Professor, Oklahoma State University, 2003 - present

Sitlington Chair for Food Animal Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, 1995-present.

Professor, Veterinary Pathology, Oklahoma State University, 1985-present.

Head, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Oklahoma State University, 2004 - 2008

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, 1999-2001.

Head, Department of Anatomy, Pathology and Pharmacology, Oklahoma State University, 1996-1999

Head, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Oklahoma State University, 1986-1996.

Visiting Professor, Department of Microbiology, University of British Columbia, August 1990-February 1991.

Associate Professor, Veterinary Pathology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Okla­homa State University, 1981-1985.

Associate Professor, Veterinary Pathology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Louisiana State University, 1978-1981.

Postdoctoral Fellow, National Cancer Institute, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1976-1978.

Captain, US Air Force, Veterinary Corps; Staff Pathologist; Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Washington DC, 1974-1976.

Postdoctoral Trainee, National Institutes of Health Fellowship Award, Department of Veterinary Pathobi­ology, The Ohio State University, 1972-1974. 

Academy of Veterinary Consultants

American College of Veterinary Pathologists - Certified Veterinary Pathologist, 1977 - present

American Society of Microbiology

American Veterinary Medical Association

C.L. Davis Foundation

Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases

Phi Zeta

Veterinary Comparative Respiratory Society 

1. Confer AW, Ayalew S, Panciera RJ, Montelongo M, Wray JH.  Recombinant Mannheimia haemolytica serotype 1 outer membrane protein PlpE enhances commercial M. haemolytica vaccine-induced resistance against serotype 6 challenge. Vaccine 24: 2248-2255, 2006 
2. Gatto NT, Estes DM, Confer AW, Whitworth LC, Murphy GL. Lung Lesions in SCID-bo and SCID-bg Mice after Intratracheal inoculation with Wild-type or Leucotoxin-deficient Mutant Strains ofMannheimia haemolytica Serotype 1. J Comp Pathol 134: 355-365, 2006.
3. Ayalew S, Confer AW,  Payton ME, Garrels KD, Shrestha B, Ingram K, Montelongo M, Taylor JD. Mannheimia haemolytica Chimeric Protein Vaccine Composed of the Major Surface-Exposed Epitope of Outer Membrane Lipoprotein PlpE and the Neutralizing Epitope of Leukotoxin. Vaccine 26: 4955–4961,2008 
4. Ayalew S, Step DL, Montelongo M, Confer AW. Intranasal vaccination of calves with Mannheimia haemolyticachimeric protein containing the major surface epitope of outer membrane lipoprotein PlpE, the neutralizing epitope of leukotoxin, and cholera toxin subunit B.  Vet Immun & Immunopath
5. Confer AW, Ayalew S, Step D L, Trojan B, Montelongo M.  Intranasal vaccination of young Holstein calves with Mannheimia haemolyticachimeric protein PlpE-LKT (SAC89) and cholera toxin Vet Immun & Immunopathol 132: 232-236, 2009 
6. Confer AW. Update on bacterial pathogenesis in BRD. Animal Health Res Rev 10: 145-149: 2009
7. Panciera RJ, Confer AW.  Pathogenesis and pathology of bovine pneumonia. Vet Clin North Amer Food Anim Prac 26: 191-214, 2010 
8. Singh K, Ritchey JW, Confer AW. Mannheimia haemolytica:Bacterial-host interactions in bovine pneumonia.  Vet Pathol 48:338 – 348, 2011
9. Singh K, Confer AW, Hope JC, Rizzi T, Wyckoff  JH, Weng HY, Ritchey JW.  Cytotoxicity and cytokine production by bovine alveolar macrophages challenged with wild type and leukotoxin-deficient Mannheimia haemolytica.The Vet J 188: 221-227, 2011
10. Fulton RW, Cook BJ, Blood KS, Confer AW, Payton ME, Step DL, Saliki JT, Burge LJ, Welsh RD. Immune response to bovine respiratory disease vaccine immunogens in calves at entry to feedlot and impact on feedlot performance.  Bov Practitioner 45: 1–12, 2011       

Professional curriculum

VMED 7264, General Pathology (Cell adaptation & injury)

VMED 7663, Neurology (Neuropathology)

VMED 7662, Urinary System (Pathology)

Diagnostic block - 4th year students (necropsy)

Graduate curriculum

VBSC 5023, Pathobiology (Cell adaptation & injury)