1981—1988年就读于河南农业大学，先后获学士和硕士学位。1988年—1994在河南大学生物系任教。1994年—1997在中国科学院植物研究所系统与进化植物学开放研究实验室任助研，同时兼《植物分类学报》编辑。1997—2001年任《植物分类学报》副编审、专职副主编。2001年—2004年在维也纳大学攻读博士学位，其间，荣获中国国家留学基金委颁发的“国家优秀自费留学生奖学金”。2005年6月至今，任职于北京师范大学，其间主持多项国家自然科学基金面上项目、参加国家自然科学基金创新群体项目及国家科技支撑项目等。
■植物分子系统学： 利用植物基因组变异信息，结合形态、生态和地理分布数据，重建分类群的系统发生关系，探讨它们的起源、演化历史，特别是多倍体物种的形成、演化和适应机制；
■演化-发育生物学：在演化生物学的理论框架下，针对植物演化过程中的创新性状，采用发育生物学手段，研究表型变异的分子、遗传机制和调控网络的演化。主要以菊科植物为研究材料。
研究论文
■ Zhang C-J, Rong Y-L, Jiang C-K, Guo Y-P, Rao G-Y*. 2022. Co-option of a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase gene (CCD4a) into the floral symmetry gene regulatory network contributes to the polymorphic floral shape–color combinations in Chrysanthemum sensu lato. New Phytologist (doi: 10.1111/nph.18325).
■Chen D, Yan P-C, Guo Y-P*. 2021. Imprints of independent allopolyploid formations on patterns of gene expression in two sibling yarrow species (Achillea, Asteraceae). BMC Genomics, 22: 264.
■ Shen C-Z, Chen J, Zhang C-J, Rao G-Y*, Guo Y-P*. 2021. Dysfunction of CYC2g is responsible for evolutionary shift from radiate to disciform flowerhead in the Chrysanthemum group (Asteraceae: Anthemideae). The Plant Journal, 106, 1024–1038. (doi: 10.1111/tpj.15216)
■ Shen C-Z, Zhang C-J, Chen J, Guo Y-P*. 2021. Clarifying recent adaptive diversification of the Chrysanthemum-group on the basis of an updated multilocus phylogeny of subtribe Artemisiinae (Asteraceae: Anthemideae). Frontiers in Plant Science, 12: 648026.
■Chen D, Ke J-X, Shen C-Z, Zhang Y-F, Guo Y-P*. 2021. Coexpression of parental homeologs of leaf dissection related genes are associated with intermediate leaf forms of two allotetraploid yarrows (Achillea, Asteraceae). Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 59 (2): 289–297. (doi: 10.1111/jse.12553)
■ Wan J-N, Guo Y-P*, Rao G-Y*. 2020. Unraveling independent origins of two tetraploid Achillea species by amplicon sequencing. Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 58 (6): 913–924. (doi: 10.1111/jse.12544)
■Sha S, Chen D, Liu M, Li K-L, Jiang C-K, Wang D-H, Guo Y-P*. 2018. To be serrate or pinnate: diverse leaf forms of yarrows (Achillea) are linked to differential expression patterns of NAM genes. Annals of Botany, 121: 255–266. (doi:10.1093/aob/mcx152)
■Chen J, Shen C-Z, Guo Y-P*, Rao G-Y*. 2018. Patterning the Asteraceae capitulum: Duplications and differential expression of the flower symmetry CYC2-Like genes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9: 551. (doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00551)
■ Ren J-B, Guo Y-P*. 2015. Behind the diversity: Ontogenies of radiate, disciform, anddiscoid capitula of Chrysanthemum and its allies. Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 53(6): 520–528. (doi: 10.1111/jse.12154)
■Guo Y-P, X-Y Tong, L-W Wang, Vogl C*. 2013. A population genetic model to infer allotetraploid speciation and long-term evolution applied to two yarrow species. New Phytologist, 199: 609–621. (doi: 10.1111/nph.12262)
综述
■柯锦秀, 陈 多, 郭延平*. 2018. 植物叶缘形态的发育调控机理. 生物多样性, 26 (9): 988–997. (其英文题目: J-X Ke, D Chen, Y-P Guo*. 2018. Designing leaf marginal shapes: Regulatory mechanisms of leaf serration or dissection. Biodiversity Science, 26: 988–997. )
