ABSTRACT
The self-assembly and controlled synthesis properties of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs)
have been exploited to provide parallel subcellular probes to manipulate and monitor biological
matrices. This chapter provides a summary of efforts to fabricate, characterize, and biologically integrate
several embodiments of VACNF-based systems including electrophysiological probing arrays, material
delivery vectors, and nanoscale fluidic elements. By incorporating nanoscale functionality in multiscale
devices, these systems feature elements that exist at a size scale that enables cellular integration in tissue
matrices, within individual cells, and even within subcellular compartments, including the mammalian
nucleus. Ultimately, these approaches and their refinement may provide effective strategies for inter-
facing to cells and cellular processes at the molecular scale.
