浙江海盐人。2003年毕业于南京林业大学林学系，获学士学位；同年考入华南植物园，从事报春花属的亲缘地理学研究，2008年取得博士学位。并留园担任分子生态学课题组助理研究员。于2013年任副研究员。目前已承担国家基金3项，主要从事植物系统与进化的研究（以报春花科为主要研究对象）。 

    主要对以下领域感兴趣：（1）物种多样性热点的形成格局与机制（宏观进化）；（2）辐射演化类群的植物系统发育（主要以报春花科为研究对象）；（3）高山植物的形成机制（以喜马拉雅-横断山区的报春花属为主要研究对象）；（4）植物分布格局的历史成因（历史生物地理学及谱系生物地理学）；（5）近缘类群的DNA条形码构建及分类学意义等。

　　Yan Hai-Fei, Liu Yun-Jiao, Xie Xiu-Feng, Zhang Cai-Yun, Hu Chi-Ming, Hao Gang*, Ge Xue-Jun*. 2015. DNA barcoding evaluation and its taxonomic implications in the species-rich genus Primula L. in China. PLoS ONE, 10(4): e0122903. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122903. 

　　Yan Hai-Fei, Zhang Cai-Yun, Wang Feng-Ying, Hu Chi-Ming, Ge Xue-Jun, Hao Gang*. 2012. Population expanding with the phalanx model and lineages split by environmental heterogeneity: a case study of Primula obconica in subtropical China. PLoS ONE 7(9): e41315. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0041315 

　　Zhang Cai-Yun, Wang Feng-Ying, Yan Hai-Fei*, Hao Gang, Hu Chi-Ming, Ge Xue-Jun. 2012. Testing DNA barcoding in closely related groups of Lysimachia L. (Myrsinaceae). Molecular Ecology Resources 12: 98-108. 

　　Yan Hai-Fei, Hao Gang*. 2012. Lysimachia huchimingii sp. nov. (Primulaceae) from China. Nordic Journal of Botany 30: 443-445. 

　　Yan Hai-Fei, He Chong-Hua, Peng Ching-I, Hu Chi-Ming, Hao Gang*. 2010. Circumscription of Primula subgenus Auganthus (Primulaceae) based on chloroplast DNA sequences. Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 48 (2): 123-132. 

　　Yan Hai-Fei, Peng Ching-I, Hu Chi-Ming, Hao Gang*. 2007. Phylogeographic structure of Primula obconica (Primulaceae) inferred from chloroplast microsatellites (cpSSRs) markers. Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica (Journal of Systematics and Evolution), 45: 488-496.