 Photodynamic therapy, PDT, is a non-invasive therapeutic strategy that uses photosensitizer, PS, drugs and external light to treat diseases, but its clinical applications are limited by poor water solubility and tissue specificity of conventional PS drugs. Recent advances in the development of nanoplatforms have improved PDT efficacy and tumor selectivity by integrating various functionalized organic and inorganic nanomaterials with PS drugs. This article was authored by Nji Hong, Daegun Choi and Min Suk Shim.