Used in biochemical research to study enzyme mechanisms, particularly those involving phenylalanine metabolism. It serves as an analog of phenylalanine, helping to inhibit protein synthesis in certain organisms, making it valuable in antimicrobial studies. Applied in cancer research to investigate amino acid uptake in tumor cells, aiding in the development of targeted therapies. Also utilized in metabolic pathway studies to understand the role of phenylalanine in various biological processes. Its incorporation into peptides and proteins helps in probing structural and functional aspects of biomolecules.