Institute of Chinese Material Mecica, China
👨🎓Profiles
👩🔬 Early Academic Pursuits
Professor Guo Lanping began her academic journey in the realm of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), developing a strong foundation in the field of Chinese Materia Medica. Her early studies led her to a distinguished academic path, eventually earning her a position as a graduate advisor at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CACMS). She later expanded her academic horizon as a visiting scholar at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, deepening her expertise in environmental and ecological aspects of medicinal plants.
🧑🏫 Professional Endeavors
Currently, Professor Guo serves as the Director of the National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica at CACMS and is the head of the “Innovation Team for Ecological Agriculture of Chinese Materia Medica” in China. She also directs the Key Laboratory of Investigation and Zoning of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources and oversees the Key Discipline of Medicinal Plants, both under the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM). Her work spans institutional leadership, project coordination, and strategic direction in resource ecology.
🔬 Contributions and Research Focus
Professor Guo’s research focuses primarily on the ecology of Chinese medicinal resources, with a special interest in ecological agriculture and how environmental stress influences plant growth and secondary metabolite accumulation. She pioneered the concept of ecological planting for Chinese material medica, offering practical and theoretical frameworks for sustainable agriculture. Her discovery of the “hormesis theory”, highlighting how low-dose heavy metals influence secondary metabolite production in medicinal plants, has significantly impacted the field, culminating in the development of the first ISO international standard for heavy metal limits in medicinal materials.
🌐 Impact and Influence
Professor Guo’s contributions have earned her widespread acclaim, including:
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🥈 Three-time recipient of the Second Prize of the State Science and Technology Progress Award
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🏅 Outstanding Contribution Award from ISO/TC249
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🏆 National Innovation Prize (2017)
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🎖 World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies Science and Technology Progress Award
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👩💼 Leading Role Model by the National Women’s Federation
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🧬 Young Experts with Outstanding Contributions Award
Her work has directly influenced over 400 national and international standards and significantly advanced China’s leadership in ecological TCM cultivation.
📚 Academic Citations and Publications
With over 400 academic publications, Professor Guo has made seminal contributions to both Chinese and international journals. Notable works include:
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“A practical protocol for comprehensive evaluation of sulfur-fumigation of Gastrodia Rhizoma” in Journal of Hazardous Materials (2017)
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“CYP76B74 catalyzes the 3”-hydroxylation of geranylhydroquinone in shikonin biosynthesis” in Plant Physiology (2018)
Her papers are widely cited in studies related to metabolomics, environmental stress physiology, and pharmacognosy.
🧠 Technical Skills and Expertise
Professor Guo’s technical strengths lie in:
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Metabolomic and secondary metabolite analysis
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Risk assessment modeling for environmental contaminants
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Development of international and national ISO standards
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Software database design for TCM resource management
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Ecological zoning and mapping of medicinal plant resources
She holds 22 patents and software copyrights, reflecting her innovation in research tools and methodologies.
👩🏫 Teaching Experience
As a graduate advisor at CACMS, Professor Guo has mentored numerous postgraduate students, integrating field research with academic instruction. Her pedagogical approach combines traditional herbal knowledge with modern ecological science, inspiring a new generation of TCM ecologists and pharmacologists.
🌱 Legacy and Future Contributions
Professor Guo Lanping’s legacy is deeply rooted in her holistic approach to medicinal plant research—linking ecology, agriculture, and pharmacology. Looking ahead, her focus remains on advancing sustainable and safe cultivation practices, influencing global standards, and bridging traditional knowledge with scientific innovation. Her work continues to shape China’s leadership in TCM ecological research and will likely guide global policy and practice in herbal medicine sustainability.
📖Notable Publications
A review of chemical constituents and health-promoting effects of citrus peels
Authors: N Liu, X Li, P Zhao, X Zhang, O Qiao, L Huang, L Guo, W Gao
Journal: Food Chemistry 365, 130585
Year: 2021
Proteomics: a powerful tool to study plant responses to biotic stress
Authors: Y Liu, S Lu, K Liu, S Wang, L Huang, L Guo
Journal: Plant Methods 15 (1), 135
Year: 2019
FAD-dependent enzyme-catalysed intermolecular [4+2] cycloaddition in natural product biosynthesis
Authors: L Gao, C Su, X Du, R Wang, S Chen, Y Zhou, C Liu, X Liu, R Tian, …
Journal: Nature Chemistry 12 (7), 620-628
Year: 2020
The potential roles of natural plant polysaccharides in inflammatory bowel disease: A review
Authors: W Yang, P Zhao, X Li, L Guo, W Gao
Journal: Carbohydrate Polymers 277, 118821
Year: 2022
Atractylodis Rhizoma: A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and quality control
Authors: W Zhang, Z Zhao, L Chang, Y Cao, S Wang, C Kang, H Wang, L Zhou, …
Journal: Journal of Ethnopharmacology 266, 113415
Year: 2021
Characterisation and saccharide mapping of polysaccharides from four common Polygonatum spp.
Authors: P Zhao, X Li, Y Wang, L Yan, L Guo, L Huang, W Gao
Journal: Carbohydrate Polymers 233, 115836
Year: 2020
Threatened medicinal plants in China: Distributions and conservation priorities
Authors: X Chi, Z Zhang, X Xu, X Zhang, Z Zhao, Y Liu, Q Wang, H Wang, Y Li, …
Journal: Biological Conservation 210, 89-95
Year: 2017