We are currently particularly interested in insect renal function and control. As in humans, the insect renal system maintains a constant internal milieu by regulating steady-state levels of water, ions, nutrients and waste, and uniquely, is capable of moving its own volume of water every 6 seconds. This makes it the fastest secreting epithelium in biology, and thus the ideal system for studying epithelial function and control. Beyond gaining fundamental insights into the basic underpinning biology, our work has further led us to model human renal diseases in Drosophila, and to explore the potential for developing novel neuropeptide-based tools for more ‘eco-friendly’ pest control in Tribolium.