Executive board

A new board was elected at the 11th EMGM meeting in Ljublijana 2011. The members of the new board wish to express their gratitude to Per Olcen, Matthias Frosch, Sigrid Heuberger, Edward Kaczmarski, Dominique Caugant and Julio Vazquez for their enthusiastic and successful work during the past years.

President: Ulrich Vogel

Ulrich Vogel is a Medical Microbiologist and University Professor at the Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology of the University of Würzburg, Germany. His scientific interests are in the fields of molecular epidemiology of infectious diseases and the pathogenesis of meningococcal disease. Together with Matthias Frosch, he heads the German reference laboratories for meningococci and Haemophilus influenzae. He is responsible for infection control at the University Hospital of Würzburg. Address: Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology University of Würzburg Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, E1 97080 Würzburg 97080 Würzburg Tel: +49 931 31 46802 E-mail: uvogel@hygiene.uni-wuerzburg.de

Vice-President: Paola Stefanelli

Paola Stefanelli is a Microbiologist and Senior Researcher at the Dept. of Infectious, Parasitic & Immune-mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy and involved in the National Surveillance System for Invasive Meningococcal Diseases. Her scientific interests are in the fields of pathogenesis, molecular diagnosis, vaccination and epidemiology of meningococcal disease; antibiotic resistance in pathogenic Neisseriae. National contact point at the ECDC for N. meningitidis invasive disease and N. gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance (GONOAMR). Member of the ESCMID Meningitis Study Group - EMESG. Address: Dept. of Infectious, Parasitic & Immune-mediated Diseases Istituto Superiore di Sanità Viale Regina Elena 299 00161 Rome Italy Tel: +39 06 49902126 Fax: +39 06 49387112 E-mail: paola.stefanelli@iss.it

Secretary: Georgina Tzanakaki

Georgina Tzanakaki is the Head of the National Meningitis Reference Laboratory at the National School of Public Health in Athens, Greece. Her scientific interests include: diagnostic and research activities of the reference laboratory including molecular diagnosis, vaccination and epidemiology. She is the national contact point at the ECDC for N. meningitis, H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae and convenor in the Carriage Working Group. Address: National School of Public Health Dept of Public Health National Meningitis Reference Laboratory 196, Alexandras Avenue Athens, Greece Tel: +30 213 20 10 267, +30 213 20 10 268 Fax: +30 210 64 23 041 E-mail: gtzanakaki@esdy.edu.gr or gtzanakaki@gmail.com

Treasurer: Steve Gray

Steve Gray is the lead BioMedical Scientist (Operational manager) at the Health Protection Agency Meningococcal Reference Unit, England. His first degree was in Environmental Science but since graduating his main scientific interest has been public health microbiology: specifically meningococcal disease, characterization of meningococci, epidemiology and support for vaccine development. Working as a microbiologist (Bacteriology and Virology) since 1979 and in his current position since 1996, he obtained a PhD in the field of Neisseria meningitidis molecular typing. He supported the EU-IBIS EQA programme and is now responsible for the IBDLabNet EQA. Address: Meningococcal Reference Unit Health Protection Agency Manchester Royal Infirmary Oxford Road Manchester, M13 9WL United Kingdom Tel: +44 161 276 6757 or 6764 Fax: +44 161 276 5744 E-mail: steve.gray@hpa.org.uk

Extended board

Dr. Wiebke Hellenbrand (Public Health)

Wiebke Hellenbrand is a physician and epidemiologist in the Immunization Unit at the Robert Koch Institute, the national public health authority in Germany. She is responsible for surveillance and epidemiological research on several vaccine-preventable diseases, including invasive meningococcal disease. She is also involved in the development of evidence based vaccination recommendations. Currently, she is convener of the EMGM Public Health Working Group. Address: Robert Koch Institut DGZ-Ring 1 13086 Berlin Tel: +49(0)30 18754-3408 Fax: +49(0)30 18754-3533 E-mail: Hellenbrandw@rki.de

Dr. Mary Slack (Haemophilus influenzae)

Mary Slack is a Medical Microbiologist working at the Health Protection Agency Microbiology Services Division, Colindale, London, United Kingdom. Her research interests are national surveillance of invasive Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcal infections, with a particular emphasis on the impact of Hib and pneumococcal vaccines.She is the Head of the HPA Haemophilus Reference Unit, Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Haemophilus influenzae and Head of the WHO Global Reference Laboratory for Haemophilus influenzae. She has considerable experience in assisting International Organizations, including WHO, PATH and the International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea, in the establishment of surveillance for bacterial meningitis in several developing countries, including Mongolia, Senegal, Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Address: Head Haemophilus Reference Unit Respiratory & Systemic Infection Laboratory Microbiology Services Division: Colindale 61 Colindale Avenue London NW9 5EQ United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 8327 6091 Fax: +44 (0)20 8205 6528 E-mail: Mary.Slack@HPA.org.uk