Book excerpt: Nanostructures of semiconductors and metals show novel optical and transport properties, and offer the perspective of designing materials properties with unprecedented flexibility and control. This has motivated research in the synthesis and characterization of new materials. This 2004 book brings together scientists with various levels of expertise in the growth, characterization and applications of inorganic nanostructures, such as quantum dots, nanowires and nanorods, to discuss and share developments in the field. Reports focus on techniques to prepare and characterize novel materials, investigations of novel optical and electronic properties, and novel applications, such as those that are biologically inspired. Topics include: synthesis and characterization of semiconductor quantum dots, nanoparticles and nanowires using wet chemistry and molecular beam approaches; synthesis, characterization and novel properties of metallic nanostructures; optical properties of neutral and charged excitons and exciton complexes in self-assembled quantum dots; nanoscale devices and sensors based on nanostructures and their properties; and design and characterization of quantum dot-bioconjugates and their use in assay developments.