The overall objective of this research is to engineer nano-mirco scale constructs that can be used to optically image specific biological tissue malformations such as cancer, and subsequently, destroy the abnormal tissue when the constructs are irradiated by a laser. The constructs encapsulate an optical probe such as indocyanine green, which when optically stimulated, will fluoresce. The constructs can be coated with various materials to alter the biodistribution of ICG, and therefore, providing a technology to potentially image specific tissues. Once a target tissue malformation is optically identified, the same constructs can potentially be used to elicit a thermal or chemical response that can destroy the target.