ABSTRACT
Observation of the biological world serves to understand and to take advantage of naturally occurring phenomena when the matter is organized at the nanoscale. It is a source of inspiration for scientists to delve on the conception of novel methods, and that methods can enhance their work in many fields, including medicine. It is not just a matter of working at small dimensions; rather, operating at the nanoscale enables scientists to utilize the unique physical, chemical, mechanical, and optical properties of materials that naturally occur at such scale. Hierarchical nano-size organization is a common topic in nature. In chapter 3, the presence of nano-size in nature, specially, the structure-function relations in natural configurations, and how this information can be applied to the construction of novel engineering bio-inspired materials are highlighted. Selected examples demonstrating how nanotechnologist is apt to mimic these structures to attain materials with superior characteristics are presented.
