Professor Slack is an Independent Consultant Medical Microbiologist. She was formerly employed by Public Health England (PHE) as Head of the Haemophilus Reference Unit in the Respiratory & Vaccine Preventable Bacteria Reference Unit, Colindale, London, United Kingdom. She coordinated the laboratory aspects of enhanced population-based surveillance on invasive Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae disease in England and Wales. From 1975 to 2003 she was the University Lecturer (Honorary Consultant) in Bacteriology at the University of Oxford, responsible for clinical microbiology teaching to Oxford Clinical Medical Students. She is currently a Professor in the School of Medicine & Dentistry, Griffith University Gold coast campus, Queensland, Australia. She was formerly Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae; Head of the Global Reference Laboratory for Haemophilus influenzae in the WHO Global Vaccine-Preventable Invasive Bacterial Disease (VP-IBD) Surveillance Network. She has worked extensively in developing countries- assisting WHO, PATH, IVI, the Hib Initiative and the PneumoADIP by providing technical support, advice and training for sentinel site surveillance of paediatric bacterial meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis. Her principal research interests include aspects of infections caused by H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae, specifically the epidemiology of invasive haemophilus and pneumococcal infections, the impact of Hib and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in H. influenzae, the role of vaccines in combatting antimicrobial resistance and community acquired pneumonia. Her findings in these areas have been widely published and presented at national and international meetings.