Hydrophilic polymeric particles and methods for making and using same

A method for forming a polymer, comprising:

• in a water-immiscible phase, providing mer units of a hydrophilic acrylamide monomer having a hydrophobic protection group, wherein the hydrophilic acrylamide monomer includes hydroxyl groups, amino groups, carboxyl groups, or a combination thereof;
• forming a polymeric particle having a plurality of the hydrophobic protection group;
• cleaving the hydrophobic protection groups from the polymeric particle to form a hydrophilic polymeric particle;
• activating the hydrophilic polymer particle;
• and
• conjugating a nucleic acid to the activated hydrophilic polymeric particle.