Provided is a method of preparing a stimuli-responsive multifunctional nanoparticle, including in sequence the steps of: (a) conjugating covalently an active targeting moiety to a hydrophilic polymer to form a targeted polymer, (b) conjugating covalently a redox-responsive moiety to the hydrophilic polymer of the targeted polymer to form a targeted redox-responsive polymer, (c) conjugating covalently a pH-responsive moiety of a drug complex to the redox-responsive moiety of the targeted redox-responsive polymer to form a targeted stimuli-responsive polymer-drug conjugate, wherein the drug complex includes a hydrophobic drug covalently linked to the pH-responsive moiety, and (d) adding the targeted stimuli-responsive polymer-drug conjugate and optionally an imaging agent into an aqueous liquid to allow self-assembly into a stimuli-responsive multifunctional nanoparticle, wherein the hydrophobic drug of the stimuli-responsive multifunctional nanoparticle forms a hydrophobic core, and the imaging agent is incorporated within the hydrophobic core. |