Leipzig, Germany

Vice President, Operations – Europe ; Managing Director – Velocity Clinical Research, Leipzig GmbH
Sandra Stark, PhD joined Velocity Clinical Research after 18 years at Parexel where she held various positions in Project Management, Business Development, and Portfolio Management. After leading the Therapeutic Area of Immunology and Rare Diseases in Early Phase for seven years, she took on the role of Unit Head of Parexel’s Phase 1 unit in Berlin, Germany – a 120-bed Clinical Pharmacology clinic. Moving from the Sponsor/CRO side of clinical research to Velocity Clinical Research not only closes the loop full circle, it expands her experience into late-stage development. Dr. Stark brings over 20 years of experience in both the CRO and biopharmaceutical industry, with extensive knowledge in Early Drug Development, Translational Medicine, Pre-clinical, and thorough strategic development, to her roles with Velocity, focusing on fast and efficient POC to support go/no-go decisions for late-stage development. Dr. Stark holds a Diploma in Biology from Kassel University and a PhD in Immunology and Immunogenetics from University of Göttingen.

Medical Director, Principal Investigator
Maria Lehretz, MD currently serves as the Medical Director of Velocity Clinical Research in Leipzig, where she manages the site’s principal investigators and sub-investigators, in addition to being a principal investigator herself. In this role, she also plays an active role in the commercial development of the site and collaborates with the Business Development and Business Operations teams. She also serves as a liaison between pharmaceutical and CRO medical directors, providing clinical content and consulting expertise on study protocol design to sponsors and CROs. Prior to this, Dr. Lehretz held the position of Head of Clinical Research at eCovery GmbH, where she was responsible for designing and executing clinical studies, managing regulatory processes and project management, and overseeing clinical trial managers. She has also served as a Senior Clinical Research Physician at Parexel International and as a Clinical Research Physician at SIBAmed GmbH und Co. KG, where she was involved in Phases 2 and 3 clinical trials, MPG and register studies, managing site principal investigators and sub-investigators, and working with pharmaceutical and CRO companies. Dr. Lehretz received her medical degree from Martin-Luther-University Halle.

Principal Investigator
Kai Mehltretter, MD is a highly experienced and qualified investigator with over 20 years of experience in the field of clinical research. He currently works as a freelance Principal Investigator at Velocity Clinical Research Leipzig GmbH, and as a freelance Pharmacovigilance Consultant. Before joining the SIBAmed/Velocity team, he was a consulting physician for major pharmaceutical companies and Head of a CRO’s Pharmacovigilance Department at IST GmbH Mannheim. Dr. Mehltretter has also held roles in various organizations, including Team-Lead Investigator for Phase 1-2 clinical studies at IKP GmbH Grünstadt and CRS Clinical Research Services Mannheim GmbH, as a Freelance Clinical Investigator and Consultant at Abbott GmbH & Co KG Ludwigshafen, and as an Assistant Physician at the Ophthalmic Clinic at Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg. Dr. Mehltretter is highly educated and holds a medical degree from Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg. He has authored publications in the fields of Ophthalmology and Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics.

Principal Investigator
Thomas Müller, MD is a specialist in Pediatrics working as a Principal Investigator and Specialist at Velocity Clinical Research Leipzig GmbH and previously at SIBAmed Study Center in Leipzig, Germany. In parallel, he works as a pediatrician in the Leipzig Family Medicine practice FMZ Radowsky. He has also worked as a Medical Specialist for pediatrics with psychiatric/neurological disorders at the Helios Clinic Social Pediatrics center in Leipzig. Dr. Müller has over a decade of experience in the field, having served as a Resident in pediatric medicine at Helios Clinic and as a Resident in internal and general medicine at DIAKOMED – Diakonie Hospital.