Focal cerebral ischemia, also known as ischemic stroke, occurs when a blood clot restricts the flow of oxygen and blood to the brain, ultimately causing brain tissue degradation. If left untreated, the ischemic core, made up of decaying brain matter, increases in size due to inflammatory reactive oxygen species and further damages the brain. Because of the highly selective Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB), it is difficult to provide direct treatment to the ischemic tissue in a non-invasive manner. Medications currently used to treat this condition only break down blood clots, however, they do not treat the brain damage: either in the ischemic penumbra, which surrounds the ischemic core, or the core itself. Medication encapsulated in a nanoparticle could be delivered through the bloodstream into the brain and release the drug over time. However, the size of the nanoparticle is a critical determinant in crossing the BBB. Our research team synthesized and measured nanoparticles to determine how polymer concentration, stabilizer type, stabilizer concentration, and encapsulating drugs affect particle size. We targeted a size around 100nm while maintaining a zeta potential between -1 to -45 mV, to create particles with properties known to permeate the BBB. Understanding these factors allow our research group to then tune the drug load and release rate from the nanoparticle. With this foundation, we will begin modifying our nanoparticles to target stroked regions of the brain. In the future, we aim to conduct in vivo studies to determine the efficacy of the nanoparticle as treatment for stroke.