Ren is a Principal Investigator of the Biomolecular Interaction Centre based at the University of Canterbury (New Zealand) and until recently served as its director. His research focuses on the molecular interactions critical to biological function and has made valuable contributions through publications that span biochemistry and aligned disciplines such as engineering. He works with a group of six staff and 19 students on four general themes: o How cells transport nutrients across lipid membranes o Engineering new food systems o Understanding and engineering enzymes o Diagnostic assay and device development o Transcriptional regulation o Molecular interactions in plant/fungal infections (myrtle rust) This work is funded by the Marsden Fund, Tertiary Education Commission, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and industry. He worked at the University of Melbourne as a CR Roper Research Fellow prior to joining University of Canterbury in 2012.