Dena Grayson

Dena Grayson
Personal details
Born Dena Minning
(1971-01-05) January 5, 1971
Melbourne, Florida, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Alan Grayson (m. 2016)
Alma mater University of Florida
Washington University
Website Campaign website

Dena Minning Grayson (born Dena Minning, January 5, 1971) is an American medical doctor, researcher and politician.

On July 24, 2015, Grayson announced her candidacy[1] for the United States House of Representatives for Florida's 9th congressional district.[2] On August 29th, 2016, Grayson was defeated in the Democratic party primary.[3]

On May 29, 2016, Dena Minning and Congressman Alan Grayson were wed in a private beach ceremony in Melbourne Beach, FL, where Minning was raised.[4] Upon their marriage, Minning changed her name to Dena Grayson.[5]

Early life and education

Dena Minning was born on January 5, 1971 in Melbourne, FL. Minning graduated from Melbourne High School in 1988[6] where she was a member of the varsity soccer team that captured the Florida High School State Championship in 1987.[7] She earned her Bachelor of Science degree[8] from the University of Florida in 1992. After graduating from college, Minning enrolled in the Medical Scientist Training Program at Washington University, School of Medicine,[9] where she earned a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)[8][10] and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular cell biology.[8][10] In 1999, The New York Times,[11] Science Daily and the Duke Chronicle[12] covered research on Ascaris hemoglobin[13] that Minning had published in Nature, and stated, "The discovery may yield new therapies for diseases such as cancer, in which starving tumors of oxygen is a major therapeutic focus."[14] Minning completed her internship in internal medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.[15][16]

Career

According to Fox 35, Dr. Grayson is "an accomplished physician and medical researcher."[17] Although as of 2016, she did not hold a medical license and has not practiced medicine for over ten years, Dr. Grayson is a Medical Doctor (M.D.) who spent years treating uninsured patients for free.[18] In the early 2000s, she shifted her focus to medical research as a way of treating multiple patients by finding cures.[18] Minning worked as a biotechnology consultant at MEDACorp from 2002-2003.[19] From 2003 to 2008, Minning served as an Associate Director of Licensing and Director of Medical Sciences at Amgen, and worked on developing treatments for cancers, asthma, anemia, hypercholesterolemia, heart failure, and pain. While at Amgen, Minning was selected as a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute in 2006.[20] Minning then served as Vice President of Translational Sciences at 3-V Biosciences from 2008 to 2010,[19] where she oversaw the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs active against deadly viruses. Minning served as the Vice President of Translational Sciences for AlloCure from 2011 to 2014, where she led research on a mesenchymal stem cell therapy for acute kidney injury. In 2010, Minning founded MedExpert Consulting, a biotechnology consulting company, where she helped research and develop BCX4430, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that is active against Ebola, Marburg, Yellow Fever, Zika, and other deadly viral diseases.[21][22][23][24] Minning briefly lobbied for BioCryst Pharmaceuticals for 3 months in 2013 and for 1 month in 2014 to fund research of a treatment for Ebola and other deadly viruses.[23][25] In 2014, she was co-author of an article published in Nature on the efficacy of BCX4430 against Marburg virus[21] and of a paper on the activity of BCX4430 against Yellow Fever.[22]

References

  1. Minning, Dena (July 26, 2015). "For Health, Equality and Progress. For You.". Dena For Congress. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  2. Powers, Scott (July 25, 2015). "Dr. Dena Minning - romantically linked to Alan Grayson - files to run for his Congress seat". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  3. http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/293843-graysons-wife-loses-primary-for-his-seat
  4. Steven Lemongello (May 31, 2016). "Congressional candidate for Grayson's seat marries Grayson". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  5. FOX. "New Florida power couple: Mr. and Mrs. Grayson". WOFL. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  6. Old Friends. "Melbourne High School - Class of 1988". Old Friends. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  7. Cheryl Gordon (February 27, 1987). "Pass Around The Award -- Melbourne Soccer Girls Share Honor". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 Aspen Institute. "Fellow Profile - Dena Minning". Aspen Institute. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  9. Linda Sage (October 24, 1996). "Pike studies bucket brigade of cell messengers". Washington University Record. p. 3. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  10. 1 2 "MSTP Alumni". Medical Scientist Training Program - Washington University. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  11. Blakeslee, Sandra (10/5/1999). "Thanks to a 'Horrible Worm,' New Ideas on Hemoglobin". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 July 2016. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. Ben Lopez (October 13, 1999). "Medical Center researchers discover new function of hemoglobin". The Chronicle. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  13. Minning, Dena M; et al. (August 2, 1999). "Ascaris haemoglobin is a nitric oxide-activated 'deoxygenase'". Nature 401, 497-502 (30 September 1999) doi:10.1038/46822;. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  14. ScienceDaily (October 5, 1999). "Parasite Overturns Traditional Beliefs About The Evolution And Role Of Hemoglobin". ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  15. "Bloomberg Business Executive Profile - Dena M. Minning M.D., Ph.D.". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  16. "As Dem Rep. Grayson runs for Senate seat, girlfriend reportedly runs for his". FOX News. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  17. FOX. "New Florida power couple: Mr. and Mrs. Grayson". Retrieved 2016-08-03.
  18. 1 2 "Dena Grayson hosts free Health Clinic in East Orlando". The Orlando Political Observer. 2016-07-24. Retrieved 2016-08-03.
  19. 1 2 Minning, Dena. "Dena Minning LinkedIn Profile". LinkedIn. Retrieved Jul 26, 2015.
  20. "Leadership Programs 2006 Great Xpectations Class". The Aspen Institute. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  21. 1 2 Warren, T.K.; et al. (March 2, 2014). "Protection against filovirus diseases by a novel broad-spectrum nucleoside analogue BCX4430". Nature 508, 402–405 (17 April 2014) doi:10.1038/nature13027. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  22. 1 2 Julander, J.G; et al. (August 24, 2014). "BCX4430, a novel nucleoside analog, effectively treats yellow fever in a hamster model". 2014 Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. doi:10.1128/AAC.03368-14. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  23. 1 2 Division, News (2015-09-03). "HHS contracts to develop new Ebola drug". HHS.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  24. Pharmaceuticals, Biocryst. "Study Results From Zika Virus Infected Mice Treated With BCX4430 to be Presented at WHO Conference". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  25. "Lobby Disclosure Search". disclosures.house.gov. Retrieved 2016-08-03.
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