Physical methods of molecule observation and manipulation will prove useful
, not only as research tools for investigating biomolecular structure and b
ehavior, but also for the creation of nanostructures. Supramolecular and se
lf-assembling structures are able to generate nanostructures, with many suc
h systems being of biological origin. They form the interface between nanot
echnology and biotechnology. Whereas biotechnological processes usually inv
olve populations of cells or molecules, nanotechnological methods operate a
t the level of individual molecule manipulation. This article considers wha
t advances have been made through cross-fertilisation between nanotechnolog
y and biotechnology to develop for the next millennium new analytical tools
at the microscale, using nanostructures as the sensitive part and with the
ability to detect individual molecules.