An intelligent laptop production line is displayed at Lenovo (Tianjin) Smart Innovation Service Industrial Park, requiring minimal human intervention. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Today, COF-based materials are already being explored in analytical instruments and high-end equipment supply chains, supporting efforts to replace imported core materials in key industrial sectors.

If Zhang's lab shows how new materials are born, another team just a few buildings away keeps the instruments running that make such research possible.

Li Ang works at the university's cryo-transmission electron microscopy platform, where he is responsible for the operation and maintenance of large-scale instruments used in materials science, chemistry and life sciences.

His work represents a less visible but essential layer of innovation: the people who keep advanced research infrastructure stable, precise and accessible.

One of the most urgent parts of his job often arrives without warning. Cryogenic biological samples are highly sensitive. If the system fails, they can thaw quickly, forcing researchers to restart experiments that may have taken weeks or months to prepare.

"That usually means all previous work is lost," he explained. "For example, if a microscope suddenly stops working, we have to respond immediately."

Because of this, stability and rapid troubleshooting have become part of Li's daily routine.

Over time, he said, the job has shaped not only his technical skills but also his understanding of precision.

"Sometimes a very small adjustment can make a noticeable difference in data quality," Li said."That's where much of the value lies."

Beyond maintenance work, Li also helps run training courses that allow students from different disciplines — including chemistry, biology and even non-science majors — to operate advanced instruments.

For many students, it is their first direct exposure to how modern scientific research is conducted.

"It helps them understand what high-level research actually looks like," he said.