CDK16 (cyclin-dependent kinase 16) is a protein kinase that functions as an oncogene in multiple cancer types and plays roles in cellular processes including cell cycle regulation, vesicle trafficking, and tissue repair. CDK16 is significantly overexpressed in various cancers including non-small cell lung cancer 1, hepatocellular carcinoma 2, and breast cancer 3, where it promotes tumor progression through multiple mechanisms. In lung cancer, CDK16 enhances cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis by phosphorylating p27 at Ser10, leading to p27 degradation via ubiquitination 1. CDK16 also promotes radioresistance by binding to and phosphorylating p53 at Ser315, resulting in p53 degradation and suppressed DNA damage response 4. In hepatocellular carcinoma, CDK16 activates β-catenin signaling to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion 2. Beyond cancer, CDK16 contributes to tissue repair processes, as demonstrated in dermal fibroblasts where it promotes extracellular matrix synthesis and cell viability following thermal injury 5. CDK16 has emerged as a biomarker for poor prognosis across cancers and creates an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that reduces response to immunotherapy 6. Additionally, CDK16 variants have been identified as potential candidates for X-linked intellectual disability 7.