For the precise diagnosis of major diseases and to promote the development of precision medicine, Dr. Guo has focused on developing innovative technologies such as digital PCR and discovering new molecular markers.

Digital PCR is a critical equipment for precision medicine. Dr. Guo conducted systematic innovation research in digital PCR field, which has yielded 29 patents that have been granted in China and the United States, and 4 products (2 of them registered with NMPA), including the first digital PCR product that is sold outside China. These products have twice received the Gold Award for Excellent Innovative Products of In Vitro Diagnostics in China.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus based on digital PCR has been widely accepted, and Dr. Guo has published a series of research articles in this field. Research translation has been achieved, and the product is the first digital PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 detection reagent approved by NMPA. It is also the world's first officially approved infectious disease-detection product that uses digital PCR technology. This product has been used by major institutions of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Guo used this product to assist in the development of SARS-CoV-2 national nucleic acid reference materials. The product was chosen for the evaluation of 4 COVID-19 drugs and 2 vaccines. Dr. Guo’s work has received wide media coverage and was reported by media.

Based on the gene chip technology, Dr. Guo discovered a group of microRNAs for effective diagnosis and prognosis of esophageal cancer, which was the first microRNA-related study in the field of esophageal cancer. He also discovered a group of microRNAs related to early diagnosis of lung cancer and microRNAs that promote hepatitis B virus expression and replication. He developed gene chip-based techniques for mycobacterial species identification (17 mycobacteria) and detection of multidrug (rifampicin and isoniazid)-resistant tuberculosis, which earned 2 NMPA medical device registrations.

With the approval from Tsinghua University, some of Dr. Guo’s research have been commercialized, and the products have been widely used.

1. Li R, Wang N, Guo J, Xue B, Liu C, Guo Y*, Zhou X*. Validation of methods for enriching and detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-025-01843-6.

2. Tan C, Yan Y, Guo N, Wang F, Wang S, Zhu L, Wang Y, Ma Y*, Guo Y*. A single-tube multiplex digital PCR assay for molecular diagnosis and prediction of severity of spinal muscular atrophy. Analytical Chemistry, 2022, 94: 3517-3525.

3. Tan C, Fan D, Wang N, Wang F, Wang B, Zhu L, Guo Y*. Applications of digital PCR in COVID-19 pandemic. View, 2021, 2: 20200082.

4. Yu F, Yan L, Wang N, Yang S, Wang L, Tang Y, Gao G, Wang S, Ma C, Xie R, Wang F, Tan C, Zhu L, Guo Y*, Zhang F*. Quantitative detection and viral load analysis of SARS-CoV-2 in infected patients. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2020, 71: 793-798.

5. Chen H, Wu R, Xing Y, Du Q, Xue Z, Xi Y, Yang Y, Deng Y, Han Y, Li K, Luan Y, Zhang Y, Wei X, Yu T, Li H, Zhu L, Su S, Lian H, Lu L, Tan C, Zheng H, Chen B, Yu P, Guo Y*, Ma C*. Influence of different inactivation methods on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA copy number. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2020, 58: e00958-20.

6. Zhu X, Liu B, Su S, Wang B, Bai Y, Huang H, Liu X, Cheng X, Wang X, Zhu L, Yang W, Gao N, Jing G*, Guo Y*. A “quasi” confocal droplet reader based on laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) cytometry for highly-sensitive and contamination-free detection. Talanta, 2020, 206: 120200.

7. Tang C, Zhu L, Zhang L, Tan C, Peng Z, Liu B, Liu W, Hu H, Bai Y, Wang B, Lin L, Liang J, Li X, Guo Y*, Liu Y*. Establishment and validation of a novel droplet digital PCR assay for ultrasensitive detection and dynamic monitoring of EGFR mutations in peripheral blood samples of non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Clinica Chimica Acta, 2020, 510: 88-96.

8. Su S, Jing G, Zhang M, Liu B, Zhu X, Wang B, Fu M, Zhu L, Cheng J, Guo Y*. One-step bonding and hydrophobic surface modification method for rapid fabrication of polycarbonate-based droplet microfluidic chips. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2019, 282: 60-68.

9. Tan C, Chen X, Wang F, Wang D, Cao Z, Zhu X, Lu C, Yang W, Gao N, Gao H, Guo Y*, Zhu L*. A multiplex droplet digital PCR assay for non-invasive prenatal testing of fetal aneuploidies. Analyst, 2019, 144: 2239-2247.

10. Wang F, Zhu L, Liu B, Zhu X, Wang N, Deng T, Kang D, Pan J, Yang W, Gao H*, Guo Y*. Noninvasive and accurate detection of hereditary hearing loss mutations with buccal swab based on droplet digital PCR. Analytical Chemistry, 2018, 90: 8919-8926.

Academic Honors & Awards

Beijing Nova of Science and Technology

Leader in China's In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) Industry

Beijing Science and Technology Second-Class Award

Courses Taught

Translational Medical Engineering

Human Structure and Physiology

Biomedical Detection - Devices and Reagents

Other Social Positions

Member of the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Biochips

Member of the National Technical Committee for Biometrology

Member of the Academic Committee, Key Laboratory of In Vitro Diagnostic Reagent Quality Evaluation, National Medical Products Administration (NMPA)