Protein kinase which plays an important role in mitotic cell cycle progression (PubMed:17101132, PubMed:19941817, PubMed:31409757). Required for microtubule nucleation activity of the centrosome, robust mitotic spindle formation and cytokinesis (PubMed:17586473, PubMed:19414596, PubMed:19941817, PubMed:26522158, PubMed:31409757). Phosphorylates EML4 at 'Ser-146', promoting its dissociation from microtubules during mitosis which is required for efficient chromosome congression (PubMed:31409757). Phosphorylates RPS6KB1 (By similarity). Acts as an essential activator of the NLRP3 inflammasome assembly independently of its kinase activity (PubMed:26642356, PubMed:36442502, PubMed:39173637). Acts by unlocking NLRP3 following NLRP3 tranlocation into the microtubule organizing center (MTOC), relieving NLRP3 autoinhibition and promoting formation of the NLRP3:PYCARD complex, and activation of CASP1 (PubMed:26642356, PubMed:31189953, PubMed:36442502, PubMed:39173637, PubMed:40450990). Serves as a cellular switch that enforces mutual exclusivity of the inflammasome response and cell division: interaction with NEK9 prevents interaction with NLRP3 and activation of the inflammasome during mitosis (PubMed:26642356, PubMed:31189953). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:D3ZBE5, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17101132, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17586473, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19414596, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19941817, ECO:0000269|PubMed:26522158, ECO:0000269|PubMed:26642356, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31189953, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31409757, ECO:0000269|PubMed:36442502, ECO:0000269|PubMed:39173637, ECO:0000269|PubMed:40450990}. This is the function of ENSG00000151414 (NEK7, NIMA related kinase 7).