Our laboratory is investigating several 3-Dimensional lung tissue-substitutes as possible models of pulmonary infection for M. tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2, influenza A virus, and other pathogens. These tissue substitutes have the potential of becoming faster, cheaper and more reliable alternatives to animal research, especially on emerging pathogens. The validation of these tissues allows researchers around the world that do not have access to animal facilities to perform advanced research, that normally requires in vivo models, in an in vitro system that closely mimics the lung environment of humans.