Acute kidney injury (AKI), as a complex and severe kidney disease, has always been the hotspot of research. The epidemiological research of AKI in China has made significant progress, including initially reports on the domestic incidence of AKI, geographical distribution and risk factors; however, accompanying challenges like AKI prevention and treatment emerge. For improvement of the diagnosis and treatment of the AKI, this article summarizes and analyses the two challenges: early warning biomarkers and AKI treatment strategies, based on new ideas and research progress. The aim is to make Chinese nephrology scholars and specialists realize the focus of AKI prevention and protection of renal function, to standardize the treatment strategy of AKI, and to put forward the direction of future research.