NUAK1 (NUAK family kinase 1) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays diverse roles in cellular processes and disease pathogenesis. As a kinase, NUAK1 promotes organ fibrosis through activation of YAP and TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathways, creating a profibrotic feedback loop that drives persistent tissue scarring in kidney, lung, and liver 1. In cancer biology, NUAK1 functions as an oncogenic factor, promoting tumor progression through multiple mechanisms. It enhances cancer cell expansion by activating STAT5/GLI1/SOX2 signaling and contributes to chemotherapy resistance in gastric cancer 2. NUAK1 also mediates drug resistance in non-small cell lung carcinoma by phosphorylating NADK at serine 64, which reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and promotes osimertinib resistance 3. Additionally, NUAK1 can induce immunogenic cell death through ROS production via downregulation of NRF2-mediated antioxidant pathways 4. In diabetic kidney disease, NUAK1 accelerates renal tubular senescence through the ROS/P53 axis, contributing to disease progression 5. Clinical studies demonstrate that elevated NUAK1 expression correlates with poor prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and other cancers 6, establishing it as both a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target.