The papers in this volume focus on new nanostructured materials. The term "synthetic nanostructures" implies the "bottom up" (synthetic) approach, as opposed to the "top down" (lithography and etching) techniques in nanostructure technology. In the field of nanotechnology, solid state physics and molecular physics overlap. This is nicely illustrated with the example of carbon nanotubes. Perpendicular to their axis, nanotubes are molecular as their diameter is in the order of a few nanometers, and different diameters lead to different electronic structures, while along their axis they are extendedsolids. The direction of nanoelectronics research is explored in depth, and advancements in composite technology, and novel applications for nanotubes are discussed. Importantly, updates on the theoretical and experimental determinations of structural and electronic properties, as well as on characterization methods for molecular nanostructures are included.