Narrator: This is Science Today. Researchers at the UCLA School of Dentistry are set to ‘STAMP' out harmful bacteria, while leaving helpful bacteria undisturbed. This novel antimicrobial technology called STAMP is short for specific targeted antimicrobial peptide. Wenyuan Shi, a professor and chair of oral biology, says STAMP can treat tooth decay, periodontal disease and ultimately, any bacterial infection in the body.

Shi: Bacterial infection is one of the leading causes of death in the United States or in the world and even though antibiotics have been one of the popular choice - and probably the only choice at this point - to control the bacterial infection, 104 one of the potential problems with the current antibiotics on the market, they all have a broad killing spectrum.

Narrator: Instead, STAMP works like a smart bomb - selectively killing the target and leaving the ‘good' elements intact.

Shi: So the technology like this, the targeted antimicrobial therapy, is really probably one of the first of its kind.

Narrator: For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.