Device for monitoring and controlling cellular growth

A device for monitoring and controlling cellular growth, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a plurality of elongated nanostructures, each of the plurality of elongated nanostructures having an attachment end and a free end opposite the attachment end, the free end comprising a metal and the attachment end affixed to the substrate, wherein the plurality of elongated nanostructures are sufficiently flexible to permit bending such that tips of the nanostructures meet at the free end of each of the nanostructures;
• and
• a functionalization layer coated on the free end of at least a portion of the plurality of elongated nanostructures, said functionalization layer formulated to retain live cells,
• wherein the device is configured to be used in conjunction with a detector in order to monitor growth of live cells.

A device for monitoring and controlling cellular growth, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a plurality of elongated nanostructures, each of the plurality of elongated nanostructures having an attachment end and a free end opposite the attachment end, the free end comprising a metal and the attachment end affixed to the substrate, wherein the plurality of elongated nanostructures are sufficiently flexible to permit bending such that tips of the nanostructures meet at the free end of each of the nanostructures, wherein each of the plurality of elongated nanostructures comprise:
• a columnar structure having a first diameter and being less conductive than the metal;
• and
• a metallic cap of the metal on a tip of the columnar structure, the cap having second diameter greater than the first diameter;
• and
• a functionalization layer coated on the free end of at least a portion of the plurality of elongated nanostructures, said functionalization layer formulated to retain live cells,
• wherein the device is configured to be used in conjunction with a detector in order to monitor growth of live cells.