Mesoporous silica nanoparticles are of particular interest due to their highly ordered and uniform pores. The hydrophobic nature of the interior of the pores, as well as the ability to functionalize the silica surface with hydrophilic functionalities, makes these particles attractive for anti-cancer drug delivery. I am currently working on variations of the basic silica nanoparticles. Adding a magnetic core to the particles is of interest for its potential applications in magnetic resonance imaging, as addition of the magnetic core increases the use as a contrast agent. Additionally, functionalizing the surface of the particles with various biomarkers is important so that particular cells are targeted. Since current cancer therapeutics involve targeting a region of cells, being able to deliver anti-cancer drugs only to the cancer cells without affecting healthy cells would be very beneficial.