Scientists at the University of Sydney Nano Institute have developed a lab technique that allows the growth of replica human lungs. The lungs can be used in place of animal testing to test drugs and study disease mechanisms. The scientists grew the lungs from patients’ cells and developed a biosensor to monitor bioelectrical signals to ascertain when the lungs had “matured and were ready to start treatment”, said Wojciech Chrzanowski, deputy director of the institute. The next step is to build multiple organs that can communicate and function together, a project that Chrzanowski admits is decades away.

Australian scientists have recently grown replica human lungs in a breakthrough experiment, raising concerns about the need for animal testing in medical research. The research team from Monash University revealed the new development, which could potentially revolutionize the field of respiratory medicine. The innovative achievement has sparked a growing call among scientists and animal rights activists to put an end to animal testing altogether. In this article, we delve deeper into this exciting development and explore the implications for the future of medical research.


Professor Wojciech Chrzanowski, a nanomedicine expert at the University of Sydney’s Nano Institute, has successfully grown replica human lungs in a laboratory without the need for animal testing. His “smart” organs can be used to test medicines, model healthy and diseased tissue and hopefully reduce and finally end the reliance on animal testing in medical research. While other laboratories have attempted to create lungs, they are described as “too simple” because they do not take account of the complexities of the human circulatory system and the fact that organs are constantly moving. Chrzanowski’s team designed models that include physiological perfusion and are large enough for a range of experiments. The lungs have taken several years to create using cell-by-cell technology, but Chrzanowski believes that undergraduates could now easily replicate his work. Chrzanowski believes that the work could lead to a significant reduction in animal testing and the hastening of drug development processes. The laboratory-grown organs produce results that are more reliable than those obtained from animals, which can react to drugs in a different way to humans. Increasing numbers of pharmaceutical companies are now opting for non-animal testing regimes, while the US has recently passed regulations ending the requirement for animal testing prior to human medical trials. Europe has established dedicated funding for non-animal drug-testing technologies. Last year, the New South Wales government held an inquiry into medical research conducted on animals. While the committee agreed that results from animal testing were inconsistent, it argued emerging technologies should be used as adjuncts rather than alternatives, although it did call for two specific types of experimentation to end. Chrzanowski said that Australia was behind the rest of the world in developing non-animal testing models.


In a significant breakthrough, Australian scientists have successfully grown replica human lungs using stem cells, paving the way for a long-awaited end to animal testing. The ethics surrounding animal testing have long been a contentious issue, and this latest development in biotechnology offers a promising solution. With the newfound ability to simulate human-like environments and organs, the potential for reducing animal testing is immeasurable. As scientists continue to push the boundaries of medical research, we can only hope for more innovative and humane methods to advance our scientific understanding. The future looks bright for those in the biotech industry and, more importantly, for the millions of animals previously subjected to experimentation. It’s time to say goodbye to animal testing and embrace a future in which scientific progress and ethical integrity can coexist.