Used in biochemical research to study protein synthesis and enzyme mechanisms, as it can be incorporated into proteins in place of phenylalanine, allowing for the investigation of protein structure and function. It is also employed in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging as a radiolabeled tracer to monitor amino acid metabolism in tumors, aiding in cancer diagnosis and treatment planning. Additionally, it serves as a tool in microbiological studies to explore bacterial resistance and metabolic pathways.