John Stokes is a staff scientist and co-investigator of the Varela-Stokes laboratory in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. A University of Georgia-trained infectious disease researcher, John has expertise in molecular and immunological techniques, including flow cytometry. The lab’s research focuses on the guinea pig model to study host-tick-Rickettsia interactions. During his graduate training, John studied host-cell invasion of Plasmodium falciparum and collaborated on research involving Ehrlichia chaffeensis. Before becoming Co-I, he was the Flow Cytometry Core Facility manager in the Department of Basic Sciences at Mississippi State University. During that time, John collaborated with other investigators to assist in developing and optimizing their flow cytometry experiments and analyze and interpret results. In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors, especially with his two dogs, Stella and Scout.