2-Fluoro-DL-phenylalanine is primarily used in biochemical research to study enzyme mechanisms and protein synthesis. It acts as an analog of phenylalanine, allowing researchers to investigate the role of this amino acid in biological processes. It is particularly useful in probing the specificity of enzymes like phenylalanine hydroxylase and in understanding metabolic pathways involving aromatic amino acids. Additionally, it has been employed in studies related to cancer research, where its incorporation into proteins can help explore tumor metabolism and potential therapeutic targets. Its fluorinated structure also makes it valuable in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for diagnostic purposes.