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在中国科新京澳门葡萄城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. )
