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    Clinical Studies-New Bolton Center

    Thomas D. Parsons, VMD, PhD

    Professor of Swine Production Medicine

    Addtional Titles

    Marie A. Moore Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, New Bolton Center

    Dr. Parsons is the Marie A. Moore Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, and director of Penn Vet’s Swine Teaching and Research Center. Dr. Parsons is a graduate of Amherst College. He received his VMD and PhD (neuroscience) from the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, Parsons studied in the veterinary medical scientist training program and then was supported by the von Humboldt Society to train at the Max Planck Institute for Biomedical Research in Heidelberg, Germany. He joined Penn’s faculty in 1995 as assistant Professor of swine medicine and was promoted to associate Professor of swine production medicine in 2005. He became a full Professor in 2019. Parsons is a charter member of the American College of Animal Welfare and serves as the faculty coordinator for Penn’s master’s program in animal welfare and behavior, as well as head of mammalian field investigations for the Pennsylvania Diagnostic Laboratories at New Bolton Center. His research focuses on the advancement of sustainable models of agriculture through the study of animal behavior, health, welfare and applications of technology. Parsons is recognized globally by scholars and industry leaders for re-envisioning swine housing and feeding systems to improve welfare.

    View Pub Med Publications

    Berry, A.S.F., M.K. Pierdon, A.M. Misic, M.C. Sullivan, K. O’Brien, Y. Chen, R.N. Baldassano, T.D. Parsons, D.P. Beiting. Remodeling of the maternal gut microbiome during pregnancy is shaped by parity. Accepted at Microbiome : , 2021.

    Ceballos, M.C., K.C.R. Góis, and T.D. Parsons. The opening of a hinged farrowing crate improves lactating sows’ welfare Applied Animal Behaviour Science 230: 105068-105077, 2020.

    Ceballos, M.C., K.C.R. Góis, T.D. Parsons, and M.K. Pierdon. Impact of Duration of Farrowing Crate Closure on Physical Indicators of Sow Welfare and Piglet Mortality. : , 2020.

    Horback, K.M. and T.D. Parsons. Judgement bias testing in group-housed gestating sows Behavioral Processes 159: 86-92, 2019.

    Horback K.M. and T.D. Parsons. Ontogeny of behavioral traits in commercial sows Animal 13: 1-8, 2018.

    Pierdon, M.K. and T.D. Parsons. Effect of familiarity and mixing method on gestating sow welfare and productivity in large dynamic groups Journal of Animal Science 96: 5024-5034, 2018.

    Mack, L.A., S. P. Rossini, S. J. Leventhal, T.D. Parsons. Differences in social behaviors and mortality among piglets housed in alternative lactational pen systems Prof. Animal Scientist 33: 261–275, 2017.

    Horback, K.M., M.K. Pierdon, and T.D. Parsons Behavioral preference for different enrichment types in a commercial sow herd Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 184: 7-15, 2016.

    Pierdon, M.K., A.L. Martell, and T.D. Parsons Use of ropes to collect oral fluids from group housed gestating sows fed via ESF (Electronic Sow Feeder) J. Swine Health and Production 24: 246-252, 2016.

    Pierdon, M.K., A.M. Johns, and T.D. Parsons An investigation of sow interaction with ice blocks on a farm with group housed sows fed by electronic sow feeders J. Swine Health and Production 24: 309-314, 2016.

    RESEARCH INTERESTS
    Cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurotransmitter release

    KEY WORDS:
    exocytosis, endocytosis, synaptic transmission, neurotransmitter release

    RESEARCH TECHNIQUES
    time-resolved detection of neurotransmitter release from single cells: cell membrane capacitance, amperometric voltametry, and voltage clamp of detector cells or sniffer patches; optical monitoring and modulation of intracellular calcium; fluorescent indicator dyes of calcium, and photolabile chelators of calcium; cell culture and brain slice-like preparations. 

    RESEARCH SUMMARY
    My laboratory focuses on pre-synaptic mechanisms of neurotransmitter release. Hearing dictates that the inner hair cell of the cochlea must release transmitter for prolonged periods and with exquisite temporal fidelity. Mechanisms of neurotransmitter release are being studied to understand the cellular and molecular specializations utilized by different parts of the nervous system to meet their unique requirements for neurotransmission. 

    Primary area of research:
    Basic sciences – Neuroscience with a special emphasis on synaptic mechanisms in the auditory system. 
    Clinical science – Swine health and well-being

    University of Pennsylvania, Veterinary Medical Scientist Training Program (1982 to 1988)
    Pre-Doctoral Fellow

    University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, Supervisor: Brian M. Salzberg (1988 to 1989)
    Post-Doctoral Fellow

    Solid State and Quantum Physics Research Dept., AT&T Bell Labs (1988 to 1989)
    Resident Visitor

    School of Medicine, Emory University, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Supervisor: H. Criss Hartzell (1989 to 1992)
    Research Associate

    Abteilung Molekulare Zellforschung Max-Planck-Institut f. Medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, Germany, Supervisors: Wolfhard Almers & Bert Sakmann (1993 to 1995)
    Research Associate

    Research:

    Hospital & Services:

    Education:

    PhD (Neuroscience) University of Pennsylvania, 1989
    VMD (Veterinary Medicine) University of Pennsylvania, 1986
    BA (Biology & Neuroscience, Magna Cum Laude) Amherst College, 1982

    Contact:

    Phone:610-925-6554
    Email:thd@vet.upenn.edu
    Fax:610-925-6834

    University of Pennsylvania

    School of Veterinary Medicine

    New Bolton Center

    382 West Street Road

    Kennett Square, PA 19348