LY294002 is widely used in biomedical research as a selective inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). It is instrumental in studying signal transduction pathways, particularly the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, which plays a critical role in cell growth, survival, and metabolism. Researchers use LY294002 to block PI3K activity in cellular models, helping to elucidate the function of this pathway in cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. Due to its ability to induce apoptosis and suppress cell proliferation, it is frequently employed in oncology studies to assess tumor cell sensitivity and mechanisms of drug resistance. Additionally, LY294002 is used in autophagy research, where it inhibits autophagosome formation by targeting PI3K Class III. Its application is primarily limited to in vitro systems due to poor pharmacokinetic properties in vivo.