Talk:Burkhard Becher

Edit request 2026-03-16

Hello,

I am Burkhard Becher, the subject of this article. I am posting here in accordance with Wikipedia’s conflict-of-interest guidance to suggest several factual, source-supported updates to improve accuracy and completeness.

The proposed updates concern: (1) a recently awarded scientific prize, (2) service as chair of a European Research Council panel, and (3) a revised lead paragraph and research section to better summarise the research contributions already supported by the scientific literature.

Proposed changes are listed below.

1) Add recent award

In the Awards section:

• ICIS–Pfizer Award for Excellence in Interferon and Cytokine Research (2025).

Source: https://cytokinesociety.org/2025/07/04/becher-and-francisco-jointly-awarded-pfizer-award/

2) Add ERC panel service

Suggested addition in the Career section:

He has served in international research evaluation, including as chair of the LS7 panel (“Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases”) of the European Research Council Consolidator Grant programme.

Source: https://erc.europa.eu/system/files/2026-03/ERC-2025-CoG-panel-members.pdf

3) Suggested improved lead paragraph

Burkhard Becher is a German-Swiss immunologist and professor at the University of Zurich, where he serves as Chair of the Institute of Experimental Immunology. His research focuses on cytokine signalling networks that regulate communication between immune cells in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer. He is known for work identifying interleukin-23 (IL-23) and granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as key mediators of autoimmune inflammation and for applying high-dimensional single-cell immune profiling to study immune responses in human disease.

4) Suggested expansion of the research section

Research overview: Becher’s research investigates how cytokines coordinate communication between immune cell populations to regulate inflammation, tissue damage and immune defence. His work focuses on signalling networks linking lymphocytes and myeloid cells that drive immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis, chronic inflammatory disorders and cancer. Using experimental disease models together with high-dimensional analysis of human immune cells, his laboratory studies how cytokine pathways shape immune cell behaviour and how these mechanisms can be targeted therapeutically.

IL-23 and autoimmune inflammation: Becher’s research contributed to identifying interleukin-23 (IL-23) as a cytokine that promotes autoimmune inflammation. Early studies from his group demonstrated that IL-23, rather than the closely related cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12), is required for the development of autoimmune pathology in experimental models of multiple sclerosis.

GM-CSF in pathogenic T-cell responses: Becher and colleagues identified granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as a key effector cytokine produced by pathogenic T helper cells in autoimmune inflammation. Their work demonstrated that GM-CSF produced by T cells activates myeloid cells in the central nervous system and is required for autoimmune neuroinflammation.

Single-cell immune profiling: His laboratory has also contributed to the application of high-dimensional single-cell immune profiling technologies, including mass cytometry and transcriptomic approaches, to analyse immune cell states in human disease.

Many thanks for reviewing these proposed factual updates. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Andwhyisthat? (talk • contribs)

(originally posted at User talk:Andwhyisthat? by Andwhyisthat?; moved here by Drm310

Hi @Andwhyisthat?: / Burkhard - Would you please edit your request above as follows. For Items 1) and 2), please insert your sources as inline citations (use the appropriate cite template from the edit toolbar). For Item 3), the lede, sources need to be provided, unless sources for these statements are provided later in the article. For Item 4), this text is lengthy, and it includes no references to secondary sources. Wikipedia policies require that any claim include a source (particularly, sources different than papers or websites written by the subject of the article). Fiske (talk) 22:58, 17 March 2026 (UTC)

@Fiske: Thank you for the helpful guidance. I’ve revised my request below to include inline citations for items 1 and 2, and I’ve shortened items 3 and 4 in light of your comments.

I am Burkhard Becher, the subject of this article. I am posting here in accordance with Wikipedia’s conflict-of-interest guidance to suggest several factual, source-supported updates. I am not editing the article directly and would be grateful if an uninvolved editor could review the suggestions below.

1) Award

Suggested addition to the Awards section:

• ICIS–Pfizer Award for Excellence in Interferon and Cytokine Research (2025).

— completed Fiske (talk) 02:05, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

2) ERC panel service

Suggested addition to the Career section:

• He has served in international research evaluation, including as chair of the LS7 panel (“Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases”) for the 2025 European Research Council Consolidator Grant peer review process.

— completed Fiske (talk) 02:05, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

3) Lead

I understand that the lead should reflect material sourced in the body of the article. If editors consider it appropriate, I would suggest revising the lead only after the relevant sourced material is present in the article body. Possible wording:

• Burkhard Becher is a German-Swiss immunologist and professor at the University of Zurich, where he serves as Chair of the Institute of Experimental Immunology. His research focuses on cytokine signalling networks that regulate communication between immune cells in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer. He is known for work on IL-23 and GM-CSF in autoimmune inflammation and for applying high-dimensional single-cell immune profiling to human disease.

— completed. I assumed you meant to keep the second paragraph of the lede, and assumed that you mean that the relevant sourced material is present. If not, please provide it. Fiske (talk) 02:05, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

4) Research section

I understand the concern that my previous suggestion was too long and insufficiently supported by secondary sources. A more modest alternative would be one or two short, sourced sentences summarising the research focus, once suitable independent secondary sources are identified.

— not done at this time. Please feel free to draft relevant material and start a new request. I will close this one. Fiske (talk) 02:05, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Thank you again for your time. Andwhyisthat? (talk) 13:41, 13 April 2026 (UTC)

References