A 3D model for CF could save lives. Cystic Fibrosis (CF) affects around 10,500 people in the UK. The genetic mutation that causes CF leads to the build-up of thick mucus in the airways of the lung. This mucus cannot be cleared without physiotherapy, and people with CF are vulnerable to respiratory infections that are difficult to treat with antibiotics. Various different microorganisms can coexist within the mucus and cause infection. To study infections of the CF lung we need accurate laboratory models. The problem is that bacteria behave differently when grown in artificial models, compared to inside a living…