Used in biochemical research as a substrate for enzymes involved in nucleotide sugar biosynthesis, such as GlcNAc-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (also known as UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase), which converts it to UDP-GlcNAc, a crucial donor in glycosylation pathways. This facilitates the study of carbohydrate metabolism and the synthesis of complex carbohydrates, glycoconjugates, glycoproteins, and glycolipids, which are vital for cell signaling, adhesion, and communication. It is applied in the development of glycobiology-based therapeutics, particularly for targeting congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) and other diseases involving aberrant glycosylation. Additionally, it serves as an intermediate in the production of bioactive molecules with potential applications in anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-cancer treatments.