Editorial Review

Medicine, chemistry, physics and engineering stand poised to benefit within the next few years from the ingenuity of complex biological structures invented and perfected by nature over millions of years. The combination of biological elements - be it whole cells, single molecules or anything in between - with the field of inorganic electronics yields a fascinating spectrum of opportunities and potential applications. Neurons, DNA strands, antigens, antibodies or enzymes connected to conventional circuitry are capable of turning biological activity into defined electrical signals which can be interpreted and acted upon, opening up such applications as bio- and immunosensors, neuronal or DNA computing, bioassays, or biochemical batteries. Similarly, sophisticated human/machine interfaces and ecologically benign harvesting of energy are equally attractive paths awaiting exploration. This book provides both researchers and engineers as well as students of all the natural sciences a vivid insight into the world of bioelectronics and nature's own nanotechnological treasure chamber.

About the Authors

Itamar Willner is Professor of Chemistry at the Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. He graduated from the Hebrew University (1978), and after postdoctoral research at Berkley, he joined the faculty in Jerusalem in 1982. Prof. Willner is well known for his research in the areas of molecular electronics and optoelectronics, nanotechnology, bioelectronics, biosensors, optobioelectronics, nanobiotechnology, supramolecular chemistry, nanoscale chemistry and monolayer and thin-film assemblies. Prof. Willner holds the Israel Prize in Chemistry (2002), the Israel Chemical Society Award (2001) and the Max-Planck Research Award for International Cooperation (1998). He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and a member of the European Academy of Sciences.

Eugenii Katz is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. He completed his Ph.D. in 1983 at the Frumkin Institute of Electrochemistry, Moscow, and until 1991 acted as senior scientist at the Institute of Photosynthesis, Pushchino, Russia. In 1991 he performed postdoctoral research at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and later, as a recipient of the Humboldt scholarship, he worked at the Technical University of Munich (1993). He joined the research group of I. Willner at the Hebrew University in 1994. Dr. Katz holds the Kaye Awards for Scientific Innovations (1995 and 2004). His research interests include electroanalytical chemistry, functionalized monolayers, functionalized nanoparticles, biosensors, biofuel cells and bioelectronics.

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