Delivering unparalleled reach and expertise for vaccine clinical trials worldwide
Velocity has conducted trials that have led to nine vaccine approvals in the past three years
The Velocity Vaccine Council to Accelerate Research Excellence (CARE) provides world-class operational, recruitment, and trial conduct oversight for all Velocity sites conducting infectious disease studies.
Global leadership: As the world’s site leader in infectious disease research, Velocity excels in both high-volume trials and specialized trials that require hard-to-reach patients. Velocity’s diverse global footprint supports rapid enrollment, even for studies involving sensitive cohorts (e.g., seniors, children, pregnant women, at-risk populations).
Unparalleled expertise: The Vaccine CARE Council is led by Principal Investigators with extensive research and medical practice experience. Beyond ensuring all Velocity sites meet best practices established by world-class vaccine researchers, several Velocity investigators are also sought after by Sponsors and CROs to review protocols and guide effective study design.
Trusted performance: Velocity is the partner-of choice for many of the world’s leading Sponsors and CROs. Velocity investigators enrolled the first U.S. participants in Phase 2 and 3 COVID-19 vaccine trials, and frequently author articles and report trial results in prestigious industry journals.
Reach and capabilities
- 65+ Velocity Vaccine CARE Council sites worldwide
- 100+ investigators with vaccine research experience
- Access to millions of patient lives
- World-class diversity and community engagement initiatives
- On-site lab and PBMC processing capabilities
- Support for novel vaccines, antiviral drugs, diagnostics, and combination products
Vaccine CARE Council Leaders
Velocity's Vaccine CARE Council is led by distinguished physicians. The council leverages their vast experience in infectious disease research, alongside Velocity sites and staff that have supported thousands of trials and offer access to millions of patient lives.
Brandon Essink, MD, CPI
Dr. Essink is Chief Physician Officer at Velocity, and continues to serve as a principal investigator at Velocity’s site in Omaha, NE. He is frequently selected to lead pioneering vaccine research programs because of his extensive experience and superb track record sites have maintainedunder his guidance. In 2020, Dr. Essink led weekly meetings with vaccine developers participating in the Operation Warp Speed program and collaborating with the NIH and BARDA.
Dr. Essink was one of three co-lead Principal Investigators for Moderna’s Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial for mRNA-1273, served on the trial’s data and safety monitoring board, and co-authored the trial’s primary publication in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Essink attended medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he also completed his residency in Family Practice and a Family Practice Procedural Fellowship. He has been board certified in family practice since 2003 and has practiced family medicine since 2004.
Vaccine CARE Council Leaders
Mark Turner, MD
Natalie Duric, MD
Sofia Teferi, MD
“Next to clean water, vaccines are probably responsible for more saved lives than anything else we’ve done in medicine.”
Meet Mark Turner, MD, Vaccine CARE Council Leader and Velocity Principal Investigator in Boise, ID. Given the constant evolution of viruses and the massive medical and economic burdens imposed by viral diseases, vaccine research remains a global priority. As Dr. Turner mentions in this video, collaboration is key to driving higher quality research and data delivery.
A transformative model to confront the inefficiencies that plague clinical trials
1: Drug Development Technology. (2012). Clinical trial delays: America’s patient recruitment dilemma. | 2: Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. (2013). Impact report: 89% of trials meet enrollment, but timelines slip, half of sites under-enroll. Vol. 15, No. 1. | 3: Kaitin, K. I. (2006). Fastest drug developers consistently best peers on key performance metrics. Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development Impact Report, 8(5). | 4: Hess, J. (n.d.). Web-based patient recruitment: best opportunity to accelerate clinical trials.
When outcomes depend on the experience of your investigators and research staff, Velocity is the partner of choice
Trial experience
- Anthrax
- Avian Influenza
- Botulinum
- C. difficile (C-diff)
- Celiac Disease
- Chikungunya
- COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)
- Cytomegalovirus
- Dengue Fever
- Diphtheria
- Ebola
- E. coli
- Encephalitis
- Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
- Group B Streptococcus
- Hepatitis B
- Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
- HIV
- Human Metapneumovirus
- Human Papillomavirus
- Influenza (H1N1, H5N1, H7N1, H7N9)
- Lyme Disease
- Meningococcal Disease
- MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
- mRNA Vaccines
- Norovirus
- Parainfluenza
- Pediatric Influenza
- Pediatric Meningitis
- Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
- Plague
- Pneumococcal Disease
- Rabies
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus
- Smallpox
- Staphylococcus
- Tetanus
- Type 3 Parainfluenza Virus (PIV3)/RSV Combo
- Varicella
- West Nile Virus
- Yellow Fever
- Zika Virus
Specialty populations
- Maternal
- Newborns and Infants
- Pediatrics, Adolescents
- Geriatrics
- Immunodeficient
Study and vaccine types
- Combination vaccines
- BARDA-funded studies
- First-in-human studies