Nancy A. Stokes

Marine Scientist Senior

Email: [[stokes]]
Phone: (804) 684-7410, 7337
Office: Chesapeake Bay Hall, N111
Department: Environmental & Aquatic Animal Health

Education

• M.S. in Microbiology & Immunology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University

• B.S. in Biology, Erskine College

Duties/Specialties

• Development and application of DNA-based molecular diagnostics (PCR and ISH) for disease organisms of shellfish

• Identification and characterization of putative haplosporidians; molecular phylogeny of the haplosporidians

• Process samples for identification of potential disease agents as Office International des Epizooties (OIE) reference laboratory for Haplosporidians and Perkinsus

• Elucidation of the life cycle of the oyster parasite Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX)

• Investigation of possible threat of oyster herpes virus to oyster seed producers in the United States

Publications

• Molloy, D.P., L. Giambérini, N.A. Stokes, E.M. Burreson, and M.A. Ovcharenko. 2012. Haplosporidium raabei n. sp. (Haplosporidia): a parasite of zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771). Parasitology 139:463-477.
• Ford, S.E., J. Paterno, E. Scarpa, N.A. Stokes, Y. Kim, E.N. Powell, and D. Bushek.  2011.  Widespread survey finds no evidence of Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX) in Gulf of Mexico oysters.  Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 93:251-256.
• Hill, K.M., R.B. Carnegie, N. Aloui-Bejaoui, R. El Gharsalli, D.M. White, N.A. Stokes, and E.M. Burreson.  2010.  Observation of a Bonamia sp. infecting the oyster Ostrea stentina in Tunisia, and a consideration of its phylogenetic affinities.  Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 103:179-185.
• Ford, S.E., N.A. Stokes, E.M. Burreson, E. Scarpa, R.B. Carnegie, J.N. Kraeuter, and D. Bushek.  2009.  Minchinia mercenariae n. sp. (Haplosporidia) in the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria:  Implications of a rare parasite in a commercially important host.  Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 56:542-551.
• Audemard, C., R.B. Carnegie, N.A. Stokes, M.J. Bishop, C.H. Peterson, and E.M. Burreson.  2008.  Effects of salinity on Bonamia sp. survival in the Asian oyster Crassostrea ariakensis. Journal of Shellfish Research 27:535-540.
• Carnegie, R.B., N.A. Stokes, C. Audemard, M.J. Bishop, A.E. Wilbur, T.D. Alphin, M.H. Posey, C.H. Peterson, and E.M. Burreson.  2008.  Strong seasonality of Bonamia sp. infection and induced Crassostrea ariakensis mortality in Bogue and Masonboro Sounds, North Carolina, USA.  Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 98:335-343.
• Dungan, C.F., K.S. Reece, R.M. Hamilton, N.A. Stokes, and E.M. Burreson.  2007.  Experimental cross-infections by Perkinsus marinus and P. chesapeaki in three species of sympatric Chesapeake Bay oysters and clams.  Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 76:67-75.
• Mason, P.L., R.W. Litaker, H.J. Jeong, J.H. Ha, K.S. Reece, N.A. Stokes, J.Y. Park, K.A. Steidinger, M.W. Vandersea, S. Kibler, P.A. Tester, and W.K. Vogelbein.  2007.  Description of a new genus of Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellate, Luciella gen. nov. (Dinophyceae), including two new species:  Luciella masanensis sp. nov. and Luciella atlantis sp. nov. Journal of Phycology 43:799-810.
• Litaker, R.W., M.W. Vandersea, S.R. Kibler, K.S. Reece, N.A. Stokes, F.M. Lutzoni, B.A. Yonish, M.A. West, M.N.D. Black, and P.A. Tester.  2007.  Recognizing dinoflagellate species using ITS rDNA sequences. Journal of Phycology 43:344-355.
• Nunan, L.M., D.V. Lightner, C.R. Pantoja, N.A. Stokes, and K.S. Reece.  2007.  Characterization of a rediscovered haplosporidian parasite from cultured Penaeus vannamei. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 74:67-75.
• Bishop, M.J., R.B. Carnegie, N.A. Stokes, C.H. Peterson, and E.M. Burreson.  2006.  Complications of a non-native oyster introduction:  Facilitation of a local parasite. Marine Ecology Progress Series 325:145-152
• Carnegie, R.B., E.M. Burreson, P.M. Hine, N.A. Stokes, C. Audemard, M.J. Bishop, and C.H. Peterson.  2006.  Bonamia perspora n. sp. (Haplosporidia), a parasite of the oyster Ostreola equestris, is the first Bonamia species known to produce spores. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 53:232-245.
• Azevedo, C., P. Balseiro, G. Casal, C. Gestal, R. Aranguren, N.A. Stokes, R.B. Carnegie, B. Novoa, E. M. Burreson, and A. Figueras.  2006. Ultrastructural and molecular characterization of Haplosporidium montforti n. sp., parasite of the European abalone Haliotis tuberculata. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 92:23-32.
• Friedman, C.S., R.M. Estes, N.A. Stokes, C.A. Burge, J.S. Hargove, B.J. Barber, R.A. Elston, E.M. Burreson, and K.S. Reece.  2005.  Herpesvirus in juvenile Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas from Tomales Bay, California, coincides with summer mortality episodes. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 63:33-41.
• Reece, K.S., M.E. Siddall, N.A. Stokes, and E.M. Burreson.  2004.  Molecular phylogeny of the Haplosporidia based on two independent gene sequences.  Journal of Parasitology 90:1111-1122.
• Burreson, E.M., N.A. Stokes, R.B. Carnegie, and M.J. Bishop.  2004.  Bonamia sp. (Haplosporidia) found in nonnative oysters Crassostrea ariakensis in Bogue Sound, North Carolina.  Journal of Aquatic Animal Health 16:1-9.

• Litaker, R.W., M.W. Vandersea, S.R. Kibler, K.S. Reece, N.A. Stokes, K.A. Steidinger, D.F. Millie, B.J. Bendis, R.J. Pigg, and P.A. Tester.  2003.  Identification of Pfiesteria piscicida (Dinophyceae) and Pfiesteria-like organisms using internal transcribed spacer-specific PCR assays.  Journal of Phycology 39:754-761.

• Anderson, R. S., B. S. Kraus, S. E. McGladdery, K. S. Reece, and N. A. Stokes. 2003. A thraustochytrid protist isolated from Mercenaria mercenaria: molecular characterization and host defense responses. Fish and Shellfish Immunology 15:183-194.

• Reece, K. S. and N. A. Stokes. 2003. Molecular analysis of a haplosporidian parasite from cultured New Zealand abalone Haliotis iris. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 53:61-66.

• Stokes, N. A., L. M. Ragone Calvo, K. S. Reece, and E. M. Burreson. 2002. Molecular diagnostics, field validation, and phylogenetic analysis of Quahog Parasite Unknown (QPX), a pathogen of the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 52:233-247.

• Sunila, I., N. A. Stokes, R. Smolowitz, R. C. Karney, and E. M. Burreson.  2002.  Haplosporidium costale (Seaside Organism), a parasite of the eastern oyster, is present in Long Island Sound.  Journal of Shellfish Research, 21:113-118.   

• Stokes, N. A. and E. M. Burreson.  2001.  Differential diagnosis of mixed Haplosporidium costale and Haplosporidium nelsoni infections in the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, using DNA probes.  Journal of Shellfish Research 20:207-213. 

• Renault, T., N. A. Stokes, B. Chollet, N. Cochennec, F. Berthe, and E. M. Burreson.  2000.  Haplosporidiosis in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, from the French Atlantic coast. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 42:207-214.   

• Yarnall, H. A., K. S. Reece, N. A. Stokes and E. M. Burreson.  2000.  A quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction assay for the oyster pathogen Perkinsus marinus.  Journal of Parasitology 86:827-837.   

• Burreson, E. M., N. A. Stokes and C. S. Friedman.  2000.  Increased virulence in an introduced pathogen: Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX) in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica.  Journal of Aquatic Animal Health 12:1-8. (Invited feature article; Publication Awards Committee, American Fisheries Society, voted this paper as 2001 Best Paper Award for Journal of Aquatic Animal Health during 2000.)   

• Stokes, N. A., M. E. Siddall and E. M. Burreson.  1995.  Detection of Haplosporidium nelsoni (Haplosporidia: Haplosporidiidae) in oysters by PCR amplification.  Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 23:145-152.   

• Siddall, M. E., N. A. Stokes and E. M. Burreson.  1995.  Molecular phylogenetic evidence that the phylum Haplosporidia has an alveolate ancestry.  Molecular and Biological Evolution 12:573-581.   

• Stokes, N. A. and E. M. Burreson.  1995.  A sensitive and specific DNA probe for the oyster pathogen Haplosporidium nelsoni.  Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 42:350-357.   

• Stokes, N. A., M. E. Siddall and E. M. Burreson.  1995.  Small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequence of Minchinia teredinis (Haplosporidia: Haplosporidiidae) and a specific DNA probe and PCR primers for its detection.  Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 65:300-308.

Professional affiliations

National Shellfisheries Association

Supervisor