With the recent developments of nanoscale engineering in physical sciences and the advances in molecular biology, we are combining genetic tools with synthetic nanoscale constructs to create a hybrid methodology, molecular biomimetics. In this approach, we use biology as a guide and adapt bioschemes including combinatorial biology, post-selection engineering, bioinformatics, and molecular modeling to select and tailor short peptides (7-60 amino acids) with specific binding to and assembly on functional solid materials. Based on the fundamental principles of genetics-based design, molecular recognition, and self-assembly, we can now engineer peptides for solids and synthetic functional molecules as nucleators, catalyzers, growth modifiers, molecular linkers and erector sets, simply as fundamental utilities for nano- and bionano-technology. We will review the recent developments from our collaborative research groups in this rapidly developing polydisciplinary field, focusing on i. Fundamental issues in genetic design, molecular recognition, and supramolecular assembly of peptides, ii. Bioenabled nano-photonics, -magnetics, and -electronics, and ii. Practical implementation in inorganic biosynthesis and fabrication towards molecular and nano-imaging, sensing (diagnostics), and tissue regeneration. The research is supported by NSF-MRSEC, NSF-BioMat, ARO-DURINT, and NIH programs. 1. M. Sarikaya, et al., Nature-Mater., 2(3) 577 (2003). 2. M. Sarikaya, C. Tamerler, D.T. Schwartz, & F. Baneyx, Ann. Rev. Mater. Res. 34, 373 (2004). 3. C. Tamerler & M. Sarikaya, Acta Biomaterilia, 3, 289 (2007).