Gold nanorods (GNR) have promising biomedical applications for sensing, diagnostic imaging, and localized photothermal treatment by virtue of their absorption in the near infrared (NIR) spectral region. In our research, the focus has been to prepare GNR capped at the ends by nanogels of a thermally responsive polymer. The nanogels can be filled with drugs and bioconjugated with receptor molecules. Because of the small size of the GNR-nanogel material (~50-150nm), uptake into diseased cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis is possible. The goal is to exploit the optical properties of the GNR in tandem with the controlled release characteristics of the stimuli-responsive nanogels for therapeutic treatment as well as diagnostic imaging. In this presentation, we will discuss our progress in end-modifying the GNR with an organic cross-linker for coupling to nanogels of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). Characterization of the novel nanomaterial with UV-Vis and infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) will be presented.