2-Bromohexadecanoic acid is primarily used in biochemical research as a tool to study lipid metabolism and enzyme activity. It serves as a substrate or inhibitor in experiments involving fatty acid metabolism, particularly in understanding the function of enzymes like fatty acid synthase or desaturases. Additionally, it is utilized in the synthesis of modified lipids for investigating membrane properties and lipid-protein interactions. Its bromine moiety allows for further chemical modifications, making it valuable in creating derivatives for specialized studies in lipidomics and cellular signaling pathways.