Invited speaker at many national and international conferences, member of scientific advisory boards, and of the WHO PDVAC (Product Development for Vaccines Advisory Committee). I am also editor and reviewer for scientific journals, fellowship and grant applications. My honours include: elected member of EMBO, elected fellow of the European Academy of Microbiology and Academia Europaea and of the American Academy of Microbiology, and Vice Chair of the Bacteriology Division of IUMS (International Unit of Microbiology Societies).