In the context of global sustainable development goals and national strategic needs, organized scientific research has become an inevitable trend in addressing complex scientific challenges. This study explores the core role and development pathways of scientific, technical, and medical (STM) journals within the organized research and innovation system. It reveals that STM journals play a crucial role in several aspects of this system, including providing intellectual support for science and technology policy formulation, promoting collaborative innovation in organized research, cultivating innovative talent, and facilitating the transformation and application of research outcomes. Scientific journals should strengthen topic planning to ensure that research outputs are closely aligned with national strategic needs. By carefully selecting and organizing research topics, journals can guide scientific research toward areas that directly contribute to solving pressing national and global challenges. This alignment ensures that research outputs are relevant and impactful, directly supporting sustainable development and innovation policies. Moreover, journals should fully leverage their platform function, to promote collaborative innovation within organized research. In an era of interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration, STM journals can facilitate communication and collaboration among researchers, institutions, and industries. By providing space for researchers to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and collaborate on innovative projects, journals can help foster a cooperative research environment that accelerates scientific progress. In addition, STM journals should strengthen knowledge dissemination and promote academic exchanges, to support the cultivation of organized research and innovation talents. Through special issues, thematic reviews, and the promotion of open discussions on emerging topics, journals can play an educational role by showcasing cutting-edge research and best practices, helping to nurture the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators. Furthermore, deepening open access is essential for accelerating the transformation and application of organized research outcomes. By providing open access to research results, STM journals can expand their reach to a wider audience, including policymakers, practitioners, and the broader public, thereby accelerating the spread of knowledge, enhancing the practical application of scientific research, and facilitating the integration into real-world solutions. In conclusion, STM journals are essential for strengthening the core role of the organized research and innovation system. By focusing on strategic topic selection, fostering collaboration, promoting knowledge dissemination, and supporting open access, journals can significantly contribute to the advancement of organized scientific research, innovation, and the transformation of research into societal impact.