Amphiphilic tris(2,2 '-bipyridine)ruthenium-cored star-shaped polymers consisting of one polystyrene block and two poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) blocks were prepared by the "arm-first" method in which RAFT polymerization and nonconvalent ligand-metal complexation were employed. The prepared amphiphilic star-shaped metallopolymers are able to form micelles in water. The size and distribution of the micelles were studied by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Preliminary studies indicate that the polymer concentration and the hydrophilic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) block length can affect the morphologies of the formed metal-interfaced core-shell micelles in water. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.