Used in biochemical research as a metabolic inhibitor and analog of glucose to study carbohydrate metabolism pathways. Acts as a building block for synthesizing modified sugars and glycoconjugates, which are important in drug development and understanding cell signaling. Investigated for potential antimicrobial properties due to its ability to interfere with bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. Also employed in enzymology studies to probe the specificity and mechanism of glycosidases and aminotransferases.