Novel near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence dye incorporated polymers were synthesized for applications in in vivo imaging. The polymers have glucose side chains to improve water solubility and pendant NIR dyes acting as imaging agents with an azide / biotin chain-ends which serve as reactive handles for the attachment of the polymers to proteins. The polymers were synthesized via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) using a novel azide initiator. Biotin alkyne was attached to the azide chain-end via �click� chemistry. The polymers were characterized using NMR spectroscopy, GPC and FPLC. Protein hybrids with streptavidin were prepared. The conjugates were characterized and potential biological applications for non-invasive imaging in mice and in 96 well plate assays were explored.