The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent on molecules created by Cheng Kao of Indiana University Bloomington.

Kao has developed antimicrobial peptides, sometimes called bacteriocidal peptides, that diminish detrimental pro-inflammatory responses and direct killing of microbes.

The innovation was disclosed to the IU Innovation and Commercialization Office. The mission of the office is to drive innovation to the market for the benefit of the public, the university and innovators for state, national and global commerce. IU personnel can disclose an invention online.