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We report on the synthesis of bifunctional mitoxantrone (MTX)-grafted magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) modified by dopamine-polyethylene glycol-folic acid (DPA-PEG-FA) for targeted imaging and therapy of cancer. MNPs (∼7–10 nm) were synthesized using the thermal decomposition reaction of Fe(acac)₃. Bromoacetyl (BrAc) terminal polyethylene glycol dopamine (DPA-PEG-BrAc) was synthesized and treated with ethylene diamine to form bifunctional PEG moiety containing dopamine at one end and amino group at the other end (i.e. DPA-PEG-NH₂). It was then reacted with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) to form Fe₃O₄-DPA-PEG-NH₂ NPs. The activated folic acid (FA) was chemically coupled to Fe₃O₄-DPA-PEG-NH₂, forming Fe₃O₄-DPA-PEG-FA. MTX was then conjugated to Fe₃O₄-DPA-PEG-FA, forming Fe₃O₄-DPA-PEG-FA-MTX. Physicochemical characteristics of the engineered MNPs were determined …