It seemed like destiny that Dr. Leslie Ray Matthews would someday enter the field of medicine, and for the Indianola native and Gentry High School graduate, that story came to be reality in a huge way.
Now professor of surgery and a trauma surgeon at Morehouse School of Medicine and Grady Memorial Hospital, Matthews is set to bring his groundbreaking and world-recognized research into Vitamin D3 back to his hometown, where the economic benefit could run into the millions of dollars, he told The E-T this week.
Matthews’ first patent, which he says could change the course of how concussions and traumatic brain injuries are treated, was secured through the U.S. Patent office on Dec. 10.
“This patent will alter the way we treat concussions and traumatic brain injuries and improve patients' quality of life,” Matthews said. “I will submit additional patent applications to use his product in strokes, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases.”
The biggest impact, at least for Indianola and the Delta, is Matthews’ plan to develop this and other patents in his hometown.
“I plan to open a manufacturing plant for my patents in Indianola in the next three months,” Matthews told The E-T. “I want to bring high-paying, quality jobs to my hometown, which is an "opportunity zone. I see this as an opportunity to change the landscape of the Mississippi Delta.”
Matthews said he will be retiring from trauma surgery December 31 to concentrate totally on medical research. Though nothing is set in stone, he plans to lease space in the city to jumpstart the project, he believes will grow into a billion dollar organization that could eventually bring hundreds of jobs to the Delta.
“I have at least 100 patents in my head that I need to develop,” Matthews said. “I have gotten two to four hours of sleep each night over the past 31 years. Late night was the only time that I had to do research.”
Matthews is already working on other products that could be developed in Indianola over the next several years.
“I have a second patent which consists of vitamin D3 and CBD oil which decreases the inflammation associated with chronic pain,” he said.
Matthews has been no stranger to making headlines both in his hometown and abroad.
His research has gained international attention over the past decade, and there’s already a line of investors who are interested in the patent, Matthews said.
According to Matthews, a bank in Columbus, Georgia offered him $25 million for 51% ownership of this patent.
A Saudi Arabian sheik offered Matthews $100 million for 99% ownership of this patent.
Representatives of the Washington D.C.-based Carlyle Group, which is composed of former world leaders and prime ministers and had handled billion dollar deals, offered Matthews a 70%/30% split, he said.
Prior to getting his patent approved, Matthews has become known throughout the sports world, especially with SEC football teams like the Universities of Alabama and Georgia for using Vitamin D3 to treat concussions.
Matthews pioneered using high dose vitamin D3 in athletes when he started working with Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) High School (Georgia) football team in 2011.
Twenty-five of MLK football players received full athletic college scholarships to play football, Matthews said.
“I could turn on the television and see a football player on most major college football team from MLK who started on my parent-led vitamin D3 program,” he said.
Four of those players are now playing at the professional level, including Kelvin Byard (NFL, Tennessee Titans); Arden Key (NFL, Oakland Raiders); Jordan Moore (CFL, Hamilton Wildcats) and J.J. Jones (Toronto, Canada), Matthews said.
The 2011 MLK football team had a 13-1 record, 85 football players and had only one concussion the entire football season, according to Matthews.
“These kids were more concerned about playing time than they were concussions due to the vitamin D3 nutrition program that I started,” Matthews said.
Matthews’ family is no stranger to making medical history.
His Siamese twin sisters, born in Indianola, were the first to be successfully separated. The medical feat, which was conducted in Memphis, made multiple national medical journals in the aftermath.
