In 1958, while doing a year of research under Dr. Ian Macnab, Jackson won an International competition sponsored by the American Association or the Surgery of Trauma, with a thesis on “Fractures of the Tibia”. The only other Canadian to win that competition, was the Professor of Orthopaedics, Dr. Ted Dewar. This was a good start to a career in both clinical and research aspects of Orthopaedics. Further research experience and training was obtained in Boston, under Dr. Melvin Glimcher and Dr William Harris, and in Tokyo, under Dr Katsuto at Tokyo University.
On returning to Toronto as a Staff Surgeon at the Toronto General Hospital, Jackson also became Director of the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory in the Banting Institute. Early studies into the effects of microwave energy on cultures of osteosarcoma cells, proved very exciting, as MW energy, applied in the G2 phase of cell cycle, produced 85 % cell death, with almost no effect on cells in other phases of cell cycle. This was reported at a meeting of the New York Academy of Sciences, and followed up by other cancer researchers in the United States. Unfortunately,further support from Canadian sources was not forthcoming, and the work was halted. (In the late ’60’s, cancer research was generally focused on - a) testing chemicals and foods for their carcinogenic effect, or - b) better xray treatment of tumours. Obviously, there was no financial support for a bone and joint surgeon playing with a “black box”, as little was known about MW energy in those days )
Biomechanical studies into the
healing of fractures was then carried out for several years
along with 3- dimensional goniometric studies of knee
motion, and the design of a unicompartmental artificial
knee, based on the original work of Dr Dave MacIntosh.
Several studies on cementation of implants to bone were
also done in conjunction with the Dept. of Dentistry, with
Prof. Dennis Smith - (Zinc Polyacrylate cement)
Interest in the energy contained in the electromagnetic
spectrum led to studies into the use of laser energy in
arthroscopic surgery, and ultimately to the use of
photodynamic chemicals in the welding (or bonding) of
tissues.
Selected Orthopaedic Papers
* Jackson RW, Macnab
I. Fractures of the
shaft of the tibia—a clinical and experimental study. Am J
Surg. 1959;97:543–557. [PubMed]
* Harris WH, Jackson RW,
Jowsey J. The in vivo
distribution of tetracyclines in canine bone.
J Bone Joint Surg. 1962;44A:1308–1320
* Peters WJ, Jackson
RW, Iwano K, Gross AE. The effect of microwave
electromagnetic radiation on the growth of cells in
tissue culture Transactions New York Academy of Sciences
1970.
* Jackson,
R.W.:
A Biomechanical Study of
Normal Fracture Healing in Rat
Femora. Thesis
Master of Surgery Degree, University of Toronto. 1971
* Peters, W.J., Jackson,
R.W., Iwano, K. & Smith, D.C. The Biological Response to Zinc
Polyacrylate Cement. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related
Research. No.
8, 228233, October 1972
* Peters WJ, Jackson RW,
Smith DC. Studies of
the stability and toxicity of zinc polyacrylate
(polycarboxylate) cements (PAZ). J Biomed Mater Res.
1974;8:53–60. [PubMed]
* Townsend MA, Izak M,
Jackson RW. Total
motion knee goniometry. J Biomech. 1977;10:183–193.
[PubMed]
* Peters WJ, Jackson RW,
Iwano K. Effect of
controlled electromagnetic radiation on the growth of cells
in tissue culture. J Surg Res. 1979;27:8–13.
[PubMed]
* Marans, H.J., Jackson,
R.W., Glossop, N.D. & Young, M.C.: Anterior Cruciate Ligament
Insufficiency:A Dynamic ThreeDimensional Motion
Analysis. The American Journal of Sports
Medicine. Vol.
17: No. 3, 325332, May/June 1989
* Reed SC, Jackson RW,
Glossop N, Randle J. An in vivo study of the effect of excimer
laser irradiation on degenerate rabbit articular cartilage.
Arthroscopy. 1994;10:78–84. [PubMed]
* Jackson RW.
Energy from the
electromagnetic spectrum: the future in orthopedic surgery.
Am J Knee Surg. 1999;12:181–185. [PubMed]
* Glossop, N.D., Jackson,
R.W., Koort, H.J., Reed, S.C. & Randle,
J.A.:
The Excimer Laser in
Orthopaedics. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related
Research. No. 310, 72-81, January 1995 [PubMed]
* Jackson RW, Nosir HR,
Judy MM, Matthews JL.
Repair of articular cartilage and meniscal tears by
photoactive dyes. Arthroscopy. 1997;13:392–393.
[Science Direct]
* Judy, M.M., Jackson,
R.W., Nosir, H.R., Matthews, J.L.: Healing results in meniscus and
articular cartilage photochemically welded with 1,8-
naphthalimide dyes. One year results.
SPIE Proceeding, Vol 2970,
257-260, 1997 [SPIE]