Chemical Research in Chinese Universities ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (2): 412-435.doi: 10.1007/s40242-026-5303-1

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Urine-based Biomarkers: Progress, Challenges, and Prospects

WU Shunli1, LI Manying1, SHI Jiayi1, SUN Wenbo1, LI Kaidi1, HOU Xiaoyun1, CAI Qiliang2, KONG Deming1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Centre for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, P. R. China;
    2. Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin 300211, P. R. China
  • Received:2025-12-26 Online:2026-04-01 Published:2026-04-02
  • Contact: KONG Deming,E-mail:kongdem@nankai.edu.cn;CAI Qiliang,E-mail:caiqiliang@tmu.edu.cn E-mail:kongdem@nankai.edu.cn;caiqiliang@tmu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22474063, 22293034, 82202578), the Tianjin Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, China(No. 23JCJQJC00080), and the Science and Technology Planning

Abstract: Urine, recognized as “liquid gold,” contains a wealth of biomolecules, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and extracellular vesicles, reflecting the body’s physiological and pathological states. In recent years, urine biomarker analysis has shifted from qualitative, single-target detection toward quantitative, multi-target and omics-based approaches, enhancing early disease screening and dynamic monitoring. Compared to blood or tissue biopsies, urine testing offers a non-invasive, simple, and repeatable sampling alternative. However, clinical implementation remains limited by insufficient diagnostic accuracy and lack of standardized, multicenter validation. This review systematically summarizes reported urine biomarkers across various diseases, outlines detection technologies and performance, discusses current challenges, and provides perspectives for future development to facilitate the translation of urine-based diagnostics into clinical practice.

Key words: Urine, Biomarker, Non-invasive, Detection