John Robert Mathias, M.D., received his Doctorate in Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA., in 1968. He received his training in Internal Medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa. from 1968-1971 and he served as Chief Resident in Medicine from 1970-1971. He completed his Fellowship in Gastroenterology at The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA., from 1973-1975. His first appointment was as Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL., in 1975. He was promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine in 1978 and he was tenured in 1980. In 1985, he was promoted to Professor of Medicine. He was Associate Director of Gastroenterology from 1978-1987. In 1987, he accepted a position of Professor of Medicine and Associate Director of Gastroenterology at the University of Texas at Galveston, Galveston, TX. In 1989, he became the Acting Director of the Division of Gastroenterology. In 1996, he entered private practice in Houston, Texas at The Woman's Hospital of Texas after 24 years of academic medicine where he served as a basic scientist, a clinical investigator, teacher, and administrator. He is recognized as an authority in the world in neuromuscular diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and in women's physiology. biochemistry, and clinical diseases.

He is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA, The American Federation for Clinical Research (AFCR), and the American Society for Clinical Research ASCI). He has been recognized as one of the Best Doctors in America since the first edition in 1992.

Neuromuscular diseases of the gastrointestinal tract account for approximately 80% of patients seen by gastroenterologists. These patients have complicated medical illnesses and account for the most cost-ineffective patients in medicine. Woman develop these illnesses early in their lives and express these diseases at a ratio of 20:1 versus men. However, with appropriate testing and understanding by a physician trained in neurogastroenterology many of these patients may be significantly helped with proper identification of their illness and effective medical and/or surgical therapy implemented.