UTMB scientists have successfully grown human lungs in a laboratory. UTMB’s Dr. Joaquin Cortiella said that they focus on engineering human lungs because the potential is so great and the technology is available. The engineered lungs are also a good model for injury. "We can see what happens in pneumonia, or what happens when you’ve got a hemorrhagic fever, or tuberculosis, or hantavirus – all the agents that target the lung and cause damage in the lung,” he said.