Gladys Janice Jimenez
Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine
About Gladys Janice Jimenez
Dr. Jimenez is a licensed clinical psychologist in supportive care for advanced cancer patients, with fellowship training in clinical health psychology (behavioral medicine, pain psychology, and integrative care). Her research focuses on culturally responsive, evidence-based approaches to improve the emotional and functional well-being and quality of life of patients with serious illness. She has examined resilience, coping, and acculturative stress in underserved groups, contributed to psychometric research on health-related resilience, and co-lead the development of pain management programs for psychiatric inpatient and intensive outpatient services. She co-authored studies on behavioral interventions for cancer-related insomnia, integrative strategies in palliative care, and clinical interventions. With an M.P.H. and extensive clinical psychology training, she brings a preventive public health lens to intervention design.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Research Interests
Dr. Jimenez is a licensed clinical psychologist in supportive care for advanced cancer patients, with fellowship training in clinical health psychology (behavioral medicine, pain psychology, and integrative care). Her research focuses on culturally responsive, evidence-based approaches to improve the emotional and functional well-being and quality of life of patients with serious illness. She has examined resilience, coping, and acculturative stress in underserved groups, contributed to psychometric research on health-related resilience, and co-lead the development of pain management programs for psychiatric inpatient and intensive outpatient services. She co-authored studies on behavioral interventions for cancer-related insomnia, integrative strategies in palliative care, and clinical interventions. With an M.P.H. and extensive clinical psychology training, she brings a preventive public health lens to intervention design.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2013 | Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico, US, Clinical Psychology, Ph.D |
| 2009 | University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, US, Public Health, MA |
| 2006 | University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, US, Public Health Education, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2018-2019 | Behavioral Medicine Postdoctoral Fellow, Professional Counselor, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas |
| 2015-2017 | Behavioral Medicine and Pain Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow,, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
| 2013-2015 | Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow/Clinician II, Cornell Scott Hill Health Corporation and Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut |
| 2012-2013 | Psychology Internship Consortium, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| 2011-2011 | Clinical Practicum, Community Based Palliative Care through home visits, Hospice La Guadalupe Inc, Ponce |
| 2011-2012 | Advanced Clinical Practicum in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Center for Complementary Medicine Multimed Medical Services, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| 2011-2011 | Private Community Services, Psychological Services Clinic, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| 2010-2011 | Walk-In University Clinic, Psychological & Integral Services Center & Perpetrators of Violence Educational & Orientation Program, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| 2010-2011 | Advanced Practicum Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| 2010-2010 | Integrated Primary Care Community Health Services, Community Cornerstone, First Health Care of Puerto Rico, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| 2009-2009 | Acute Psychiatric Inpatients, Behavioral Health Unit, Metropolitan Hospital Tito Matei, Yauco, Puerto Rico |
| 2009-2009 | Clinical Internship, Community Outpatients at Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2022 | Psychologists Examiners Board, PR |
| 2021 | Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Instructor, Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - 2026
Other Professional Positions
Affiliate Staff in Functional Disability Interventions, Yale University School of Medicine-Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT, 2013 - 2015
Project Coordinator, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, PR, 2008
Teaching Assistant to Ralph Rivera, PhD, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, PR, 2007 - 2008
Project Coordinator/Research Auxiliary Assistant I, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, PR, 2007
Public Health Educator, University of Puerto Rico and the Center of Prevention for Rape Victims, Rio Piedras, PR, 2005 - 2006
Assistant to Director of Health Education Program, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, PR, 2004
Honors & Awards
| 2013 | Psychology Department Distinguished Alumni Award, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences |
| 2012 | Department of Psychology Travel Award for Scientific presentation, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences |
| 2008 | Distinguished Alumni of the Graduate School of Public Health, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico |
| 2007 - 2009 | Graduate Studies Scholarship, Department of Health Administration, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico |
| 2006 | Magna Cum Laude, excellence award, Bachelor in Public Health Education, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Regional Presentations
- 2024. Grief and Bereavement. Conference. 2024 Updates in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Intensive Physician Board Review Course. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2012. Co-Presenter Wojna V. Resilience in HIV positive Puerto Rican Woman. Conference. 13th Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI) International Symposium on Health Disparities. San Juan, PR.
- 2012. Co-Presenter Wojna V. Resilience measure for HIV positive Puerto Rican Woman. Conference. 21st Annual Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference. San Juan, PR.
- 2011. Co-Presenter Rosario E. Stress levels and incivility in the workplace. Conference. The Congress of Industrial Organizational Psychology: Strategic Actions Toward Improving Human Capital. Ponce, PR.
- 2011. Possible predictors of attitudes toward co-workers with HIV/AIDS; a sample of employees in Puerto Rico: More than a decade later. Conference. Industrial Psychology Symposium of the Psychology Association of Puerto Rico. Ponce, PR, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. Restoring Personhood: The Role of Value-Based Interdisciplinary Pain Management in Advanced Cancer (P546). Poster. 2025 Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care. Denver, Colorado, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. Presenter: Delgado MO, Co-Authors: Baez Gonzalez J, Jimenez GJ, Guzman Gutierrez D, De La Cruz M, Fellman B, Bruera E. Frequency and Intensity of Physical, Psycho-Spiritual and Financial Distress in Latin American Cancer Patients evaluated in a Supportive Care Center. Poster. Lille, FR.
- 2014. Co-Presenters Olivera-Figueroa LA, Noble A, Lopez-Cordova NM. Content Validity of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory culturally adapted for Puerto Rico (ZTPI-PR). Conference. 2nd International Conference on Time Perspective: "Diversity of Approaches. Unity of Passions". Warsaw, PL.
- 2014. Co-Presenters Olivera-Figueroa LA, Noble A, Lopez-Cordova NM. The role of Time Perspective tendencies on the acculturative stress of treatment-seeking and healthy Puerto Ricans living in the United States. Conference. 2nd International Conference on Time Perspective: "Diversity of Approaches. Unity of Passions". Warsaw, PL.
Formal Peers
- 2015. Culturally adapting group psychotherapy interventions. Visiting. New Haven, CT, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2016 - 2020 |
| Title: | Augmentation versus switch. Comparative effectiveness research trial for antidepressant incomplete and non-responders with treatment resistant depression (ASCERTAIN-TRD) |
| Funding Source: | Patient-centered outcomes research institute (PCORI) |
| Role: | Sub-Investigator |
| Date: | 2016 - 2017 |
| Title: | A randomized controlled trial of adjunctive transcranial direct current stimulation for chronic pain in patients receiving specialized, inpatient multi-modal pain management |
| Funding Source: | The William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation |
| Role: | Sub-Investigator |
| Date: | 2010 - 2014 |
| Title: | Resiliency in HIV-seropositive Latin Women: Low Levels of Resiliency is associated with Depression Symptoms and low CD4 cell count |
| Funding Source: | (Partial) National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) grant 1U54RR026139-01A1; (Partial) National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities 8U54MD007587 to the University of Puerto Rico-Medical Science Campus; and (Partial) NIMH |
| Role: | Co-Investigator/Predoctoral fellow |
| Date: | 2008 - 2009 |
| Title: | Promoting Public Health by Increasing Awareness and Diversifying the Field Funding Agency: Association of Schools of Public Health (SPH) |
| Funding Source: | Research Grant |
| Role: | Co-PI |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Agosta M, Jimenez-Torres GJ, Bruera E, Carmack C. Left Behind: Addressing the Impact of Family Separation Due to Immigration Policies on the Suffering of Patients with Advanced Cancer. J Palliat Med, 2026. PMID: 42095281.
- Jimenez-Torres GJ, Agosta M, Garcia-Hocker M, Azhar A, Bruera E, Carmack C. Language Barriers and Patient Safety in Supportive Care: Two Cases Bridging System-Level Gaps. Palliat Support Care, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41549344.
- Jimenez GJ, Gonzalez AA, Fellman BM, Chaoul A, Bruera E. Evaluation of a Five-Minute Meditation Intervention During Weekly Palliative Care Clinical Rounds. J Palliat Med 28(10):1380-1384, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40285484.
- Jimenez GJ, Gonzalez AA, Rozman de Moraes A, Geng Y, Pawate V, Khan R, Narayanan S, Yennurajalingam S. Psychological Interventions for Insomnia in Patients with Cancer: A Scoping Review. Cancers 16(22):3850, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39594805.
- Olivera-Figueroa LA, Papastamatelou J, Unger A, Jimenez-Torres GJ, Cuebas Lopez KA, Lopez-Cordova NM, Barkil-Oteo A. The role of time perspective and acculturative stress on adaptive and maladaptive stress coping strategies of Puerto Ricans living in the island of Puerto Rico and the state of Connecticut in mainland United States. Curr Psychol(15):1-20, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35854704.
- Jimenez-Torres GJ, Wojna V, Rosario E, Hechevarria R, Aleman-Batista AM, Matos MR, Madan A, Skolasky RL, Acevedo SF. Assessing health-related resiliency in HIV+ Latin women: Preliminary psychometric findings. PLoS One 12(7):e0181253, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28723939.
- Osborne PJ, Jimenez-Torres GJ, Landa Y, Mahoney J, Madan A. Chronic pain management group psychotherapy for psychiatric inpatients: A pilot study. Bulletin Menninger Clinic 81(2):123-149, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Jimenez-Torres GJ, Weinstein BL, Walker CR, Fowler JC, Ashford P, Borckardt JJ, Madan A. A study protocol for a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial of adjunctive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for chronic pain among patients receiving specialized, inpatient multimodal pain management. Contemporary Clinical Trials 54:36-47, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
Abstracts
- Jimenez GJ, Agosta MT, Ellefson JC, Chen M, Carmack C, Bruera E. Embedding Suicide Risk Screening into Outpatient Supportive Care for Patients with Advanced Cancer. 27th Annual World Congress International Psycho-Oncology Society. e-Pub 2026.
- Jimenez GJ, Gonzalez JB, Zhukovsky DS. Restoring Personhood: The Role of Value-based Interdisciplinary Pain Management in Advanced Cancer. JPSM 69(5):E733-E734, 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Delgado-Guay M, Jimenez GJ, de la Cruz M, Fellman B, Guzman D, Bruera E. Frequency and Intensity of Physical, Psycho-Spiritual and Financial Distress in Latin American Cancer Patients evaluated in a Supportive Care Center. MASCC, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Delgado-Guay MO, Baez Gonzalez J, Jimenez GJ, Guzman Gutierrez D, De la Cruz M, Fellman B, Bruera E. Associations among financial distress and the frequency and intensity of physical and psychological distress in advanced cancer patients evaluated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Support Care Cancer 38(1):suppl:2024, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Jimenez-Torres GJ, Wojna V. Resilience in HIV positive Puerto Rican Woman. 13th Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI) International Symposium on Health Disparities, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Letters to the Editor
- Colon-Rivera HA, Jimenez-Torres GJ, Lugo F. Evolving story of vitamin D; supplementing vs. implementing new approaches. Acta Psychiatr Scand 128: 99-100, 2013.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 24, 2026