DL-3-Aminoisobutyric acid is used as a biochemical tool in research, particularly in studies related to amino acid transport systems. It acts as a non-metabolizable analog of natural amino acids, allowing scientists to investigate the mechanisms of cellular uptake and membrane transport without interference from metabolic breakdown. It is also employed in the development and testing of analytical methods for amino acid detection and separation. Due to its structural similarity to beta-amino acids, it serves as a building block in the synthesis of peptides and specialized organic compounds for pharmaceutical and biochemical applications.