Nanoparticle engineering technologies borrow many concepts from life’s processes in bio-mimetic materials development.  Iron bio-mineralization in the ferritins has been extensively studied as life’s archetypal solution for the incorporation of inorganic nano-materials within biological tissue in a biocompatible fashion. We will discuss the fundamental processes involved in iron bio-mineralization in the ferritins and in biomimetic processes leading to the encapsulation and isolation of magnetic nanoparticles for use in biotechnology.  Such control and manipulation of matter at sub-cellular length scales promises to further advance the interface of materials science with biology and medicine, revolutionizing medical diagnosis and treatment of disease in the near future.  

[loc] Hill Conference [/loc]