Papers by Author: Robert H. Hurt

Abstract: Selenium (Se) nanoclusters were coated on three different orthopedic materials: Titanium, stainless steel and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). There different coating densities were achieved on each type of substrate. The uncoated and coated Ti and SS substrates were then used in experiments with either normal healthy osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) or cancerous osteoblasts (osteosarcoma) or a combination of both. For the first time, it was shown that the substrates coated with Se nanoclusters promoted (or at least maintained) normal osteoblast proliferation and inhibited cancerous osteoblast growth in both separate culture experiments and co-culture experiments. Thus, this study introduced to the orthopedic cancer community for the first time a coating material (Se) which may inhibit bone cancer growth and promote normal bone growth.

Abstract: Carbon nanomaterials are among the best known and most promising products of the nanotechnology movement. Some early studies suggest that fullerenes and nanotubes may pose significant health risks, and this has given rise to an emerging literature on carbon nanotoxicology. This young field has now begun to yield insight into toxicity mechanisms and the specific material features involved in those mechanisms. This paper explores the potential to alter those material features through post-processing or reformulation with the goal of reducing or eliminating carbon nanomaterial health risks. The paper emphasizes the important roles of metal content and bioavailability, carbon surface chemistry, and nanomaterial aggregation state. The nanotechnology movement has been given a unique "window of opportunity" to systematically investigate the toxicity of nanotechnology products and to develop ways to manage health risks before large scale manufacturing becomes widespread.