Used in biochemical research as a key intermediate in amino acid metabolism studies, particularly in the investigation of phosphorylation pathways and enzyme mechanisms involving homoserine kinases and phosphatases. Serves as a substrate analog in enzymatic assays to probe the specificity and activity of enzymes in the aspartate biosynthetic pathway. Also employed in cell culture applications where phosphorylated amino acids are required to modulate metabolic flux or study regulatory processes in engineered microbial systems. Its lithium salt form enhances solubility and stability in aqueous solutions, making it suitable for in vitro studies.