Biotechnologist Rachel Ee of the National University of Singapore has developed short self-assembling peptides that form microscopic nets in response to bacterial presence, trapping and killing antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Published in Small, the study elucidates sequence parameters regulating peptide nanonet formation triggered by bacterial membrane components. These antimicrobial nets breach bacterial membranes without relying on traditional antibiotics, offering potential novel tools against the global health threat posed by resistant infections. This mechanism exploits peptides’ ability to self-organize selectively in bacterial environments, opening fresh antimicrobial avenues.