Manuel Jimenez, MD, MS, FAAP

I am a physician-scientist with board certification in developmental and behavioral pediatrics and research training in health services and patient-oriented research. I am a tenured Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Family Medicine and Community Health at

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) with a designation of Chancellor’s Scholar. My research focuses on developing and evaluating primary care and community-based interventions aimed at promoting optimal developmental, behavioral, and relational health. I have led multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and foundation-funded studies as PI and MPI, demonstrating my expertise in conducting patient-oriented research and clinical trials.

Additionally, I have extensive experience in community-engaged research, implementation science, and conducting methodological research that leverages qualitative methods to actively involve community partners. I am a co-editor on the fifth edition of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, one of the principal textbooks in the field. As a board certified developmental behavioral pediatrician and Research Director for the Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development, New Jersey’s University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service, I bring clinical and research expertise in pediatrics and child development.

Undergraduate Graduate and Professional
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ
Bachelor of Arts (Biological Sciences)        
Date Awarded: 2003

Graduate and Professional 
Rutgers University- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick, NJ
Doctor of Medicine
Date Awarded: 2006

University of Pennsylvania- Perelman School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Masters of Science (Health Policy Research)     
Date awarded: 2012

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING:
A. Internship and Residencies
Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC
Pediatrics
July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2009

B. Fellowships
University of Pennsylvania- Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program/ Health Policy Research
July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2014
 

Dr. Jimenez’s work has largely focused on promoting optimal relational and developmental health for children and their families and making the health system more responsive to their needs. He uses quantitative, qualitative, and community-engaged research methods to ask policy-relevant research questions as well as propose and test sustainable solutions to real-world problems impacting children and their families. His work has been supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and others.

1.    Kohler RE, Wagner RB, Greene K, Btoush R, Kantor L, Jimenez ME. Developing an mHealth Intervention to Increase HPV Vaccine Confidence Among Black Families. Behav Med. 2026 Jan-Mar;52(1):28-38. doi: 10.1080/08964289.2025.2513322. Epub 2026 Jan 12. PMID: 41521910.
2.    Sandouk A, Noonan K, Corman H, Jimenez ME, Reichman NE, Schmitz K*. Paternal Depression in the Child’s First Year of Life and Subsequent Father-Child Co-Residence. Academic Pediatrics Notes: In press
3.    Mekhail L, Sant'Angelo R, Dillon JC, Hanna J, Ramachandran U, Pellerano MB, Shearman N, Mendelsohn AL, Mackie TI, Jimenez ME. Intended Outcomes and Core Components of Primary Care-Based Literacy Promotion as Defined by Experts. Acad Pediatr. 2025 Aug 28:103141. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2025.103141. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40885472; PMCID: PMC12440131.
4.    Guerrero KD, Lakata L, Lima D, Mendoza C, Uthirasamy N, Morrow LM, Perez-Cortes S, Pellerano M, Bator A, Ohman Strickland P, Crabtree BF, Jimenez ME. An Online Family Literacy and Wellness Program for Latino Dual Language Learners: Pilot Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial. JMIR Pediatr Parent. 2025 Jun 19;8:e60764. doi: 10.2196/60764. PMID: 40537092.
5.    Lakata L, Mandel Morrow L, Lattmer M, Perez-Cortes S, Ramachandran U, Pai S, Lima D, Bator A, Crabtree BF, Pellerano MB, Ohman Strickland P, Uthirasamy N, Guerrero K, Mendoza C, Jimenez ME. Ready and Healthy for Kindergarten: A Collaborative Multilingual Family Involvement Program Created by Teachers, Pediatricians, and Parents. Education Sciences. 2025; 15(2):209. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020209
6.    Schmitz K, Noonan K, Corman H, Nguyen JM, Jimenez ME, Reichman NE. Paternal depression at kindergarten entry and teacher-reported behavior at age 9. Am J Prev Med. 2025 Jan 29:S0749-3797(25)00029-7. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2025.01.017. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39894184.
7.    Gigliotti RA, Weidner M°, Jansen M, Greenberg P, Bachmann G, Dominguez-Bello MG, Parmar V, Panettieri RA, Reilly N, Ayers CA, Cohen B, Denzin LK, Feldman CA, Fiedler N, Jimenez ME, Laumbach RJ, Malin SK, Mazzaferro N, Pai S, Rosen T, Rossman-Murphy L, Salvatore JE, Schmitz KH, Shapses SA, Shiau S, Zarbl H, Reichman NE, Barrett ES, Blaser MJ, Horton DB. Assessments of working group effectiveness in the planning of the New Jersey Kids Study: an applied mixed-methods study on the science of team science. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 2024; 8(1):e163. 
8.    Lomax S, Klusaritz H, Jimenez ME, Frausto B, Cahen V, Njoroge W, Yun K. A Secret Shopper Study of Language Accessibility of Community-based Behavioral Health Services for Children in Families Who Speak Spanish and English. J Pediatr. 2024 Aug 30:114275. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.114275. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39218205.
9.    Srinivasan AP, Nishiguchi EP, Gonzalez C, Jimenez ME, Zuckerman KE, Lion KC. Toward More Equitable Care: A Closer Look at Autism Clinic Intake Practices and Paperwork. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2024 Aug 13. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001312. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39140899.
10.    Malke K, Hemler JR, Lima D, Colon P, Mendoza C, Azcona N, Devine KA, Mackie TI, Ramachandran U, Forbes D, Lucas M, Hudson SV, Jimenez ME. The application of quality improvement concepts, strategies, and tools to enhance participation in clinical trials among Latino families. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science. 2024;8(1):e146. doi:10.1017/cts.2024.557
11.    Cordoba DJ, Levin ER, Ramachandran U, Lima D, Shearman N, Willis D, Srinivasavaradan D**, Jimenez ME. Parents' Perspectives on Early Relational Health: A Qualitative Study. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2024 Jul-Aug 01;45(4):e334-e340. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001301. Epub 2024 Jul 17. PMID: 39023850.
12.    Tallia AF, Ferrante JM, Hill D, Jimenez ME, Pellerano M, Ciminelli MF, Jahn E, Hudson SV. Building Family Medicine Research Through Community Engagement: Leveraging Federal Awards to Develop Infrastructure. J Am Board Fam Med. 2025 Jan 17:jabfm.2024.240007R1. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2024.240007R1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39824640.
13.    Thoby E., Veras, J., Nallapati, S., Jimenez, M. E., Bhise, V. (2024). No one really plans to have multiple sclerosis: Transition readiness and quality of life in paediatric multiple sclerosis. Child: Care, Health and Development, 50(4), e13304. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.13304
14.    Schmitz K, Jimenez ME, Corman H, Noonan K, Reichman NE. Paternal depression in the postpartum year and children's behaviors at age 5 in an urban U.S. birth cohort. PLoS One. 2024;19(4):e0300018. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300018. eCollection 2024. PubMed PMID: 38635660; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11025738.
15.    James C, Corman H, Noonan K, Reichman NE, Jimenez ME. Chronic health conditions and adolescents' social connectedness. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2024 Feb 1. doi: 10.1037/ort0000712. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38300587.
16.    Zanzoul S, Strickland PO, Mendelsohn AL, Malke K, Bator A, Hemler J, Jimenez ME. Stress and Infant Media Exposure During COVID-19: A Study Among Latino Families. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2024 Jan 1;45(1):e14-e20. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001231. Epub 2023 Dec 21. PMID: 38127845; PMCID: PMC10922283.
17.    Guevara JP, Jimenez ME, Jenssen BP, Luethke M, Doyle R, Buttenheim A. Early Literacy Promotion Using Automated Hovering Among Young Minority Children. Acad Pediatr. 2023 Nov 11:S1876-2859(23)00414-X. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2023.11.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37956737.
18.    Jimenez ME, Uthirasamy N, Hemler JR, Bator A, Malke K, Lima D, Strickland PO, Ramachandran U, Crabtree BF, Hudson SV, Mackie TI, Mendelsohn AL. Maximizing the impact of reach out and read literacy promotion:anticipatory guidance and modeling. Pediatr Res. 2023 Dec 7. doi: 10.1038/s41390-023-02945-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38062258.
19.    Anwar A, Dawson-Hahn E, Lion KC, Jimenez ME, Yun K. Exclusion of Families Who Speak Languages Other than English from Federally Funded Pediatric Trials. J Pediatr. 2023 Jul 1:113597. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113597. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37399920. 
20.    D'Alonzo KT, Jimenez ME, Ahmed S, Vivar M, Vivar I, Vivar L. Use of Adolescent "Community Researchers" to Address Obesity Among Mexican Immigrant Families. Hisp Health Care Int. 2023 Dec;21(4):179-183. doi: 10.1177/15404153231181700. Epub 2023 Jun 12. PMID: 37306256.
21.    Pellerano MB, Hill D, Jimenez ME, Gordon M, Macenat M, Ferrante JM, Rivera-Núñez Z, Devance D, Lima D, Sullivan B, Crabtree BF, Georgopoulos P, Barrett E.S, Reed DJ**, Pernell CT**, Dawkins MR**, Lynn B**, Dixon F**, Castañeda M**, Garcia H**, Blaser MJ, Panettieri RA, Hudson SV. Connect: Cultivating academic/community partnerships to address our communities' complex needs during public health crises. Progress in Community Health Partnerships.2023;17(3), 447-464.
22.    Pellerano M, Fingerhut L, Giordano S, Kaul E, Baptiste B, Jimenez ME, Jahn E. Community partners’ experiences with medical students’ service-learning activities. Health Education Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969231157698 
23.    Jimenez ME, Hemler JR, Uthirasamy N, Bator A, Forbes DH, Lucas M, Ramachandran U, Crabtree BF, Mackie TI. A Mixed-Methods Investigation Examining Site-Level Variation in Reach Out and Read Implementation. Acad Pediatr. 2022 Dec 7:S1876-2859(22)00574-5. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.11.015. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36496152.
24.    Uthirasamy N, Reddy M°*, Hemler JR, Devine KA, Cordoba D, Pai S, Ramachandran U, Mackie TI, Jimenez ME. Reach Out and Read Implementation: A Scoping Review. Acad Pediatr. 2023 Apr;23(3):520-549. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.11.012. Epub 2022 Dec 2. Review. PubMed PMID: 36464156; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10149560. 
25.    Barrett ES, Andrews T, Roy J, Greenberg P, Ferrante J, Gordon M, Horton D, Rivera-Nunez Z, Budolfson M, Georgopoulos P, Rosati R, Tallia A, Pellerano M, Castaneda M, Reed D, Dixon F, Lynn B, Pernell C, Hill D, Jimenez ME, Blaser M, Panettieri R, Hudson SV. Community- Versus Health Care Organization-Based Approaches to Expanding At-Home COVID-19 Testing in Black and Latino Communities, New Jersey, 2021 [published online ahead of print, 2022 Oct 20]. Am J Public Health. 2022;e1-e5. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2022.306989
26.    Choi Y, Uthirasamy N, Córdoba D, Morrow LM, Perez-Cortes S, Ramachandran U, Pai S, Lima D, Shelton PA, Jimenez ME. Feasibility and Acceptability of an Online Family Literacy Program in an Under-Resourced Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2023 Feb-Mar 01;44(2):e104-e110. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001155. Epub 2023 Jan 26. PMID: 36750983; PMCID: PMC9930163.
27.    Hunt AM, Uthirasamy N, Porter S, Jimenez ME. Parental Depression Screening in Pediatric Health Care Settings: A Scoping Review. Pediatrics. 2022;150(1):e2021055804. doi:10.1542/peds.2021-055804
28.    Anyigbo C, Jimenez ME, Sosnowski DW. Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences at Age 5 Years and Healthcare Utilization at Age 9 Years. J Pediatr. 2022;246:227-234.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.04.006
29.    Rivera-Núñez Z, Jimenez ME, Crabtree BF, et al. Experiences of Black and Latinx health care workers in support roles during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study. PLoS One. 2022;17(1):e0262606. Published 2022 Jan 18. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0262606
30.    Jimenez ME, Rivera-Núñez Z, Crabtree BF, Hill D, Pellerano MB, Devance D, Macenat M, Lima D, Martinez Alcaraz E, Ferrante JM, Barrett ES, Blaser MJ, Panettieri RA Jr, Hudson SV. Black and Latinx Community Perspectives on COVID-19 Mitigation Behaviors, Testing, and Vaccines. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2117074. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.17074. PubMed PMID: 34264327. 
31.    Guevara JP, Erkoboni D, Gerdes M, Winston S, Sands D, Rogers K, Haecker T, Jimenez ME, Mendelsohn AL. Promoting Early Literacy Using Digital Devices: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Acad Pediatr. 2021 May 19;. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.05.013. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34022425. 
32.    James C, Jimenez ME, Wade R Jr, Nepomnyaschy L. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Teen Behavior Outcomes: The Role of Disability. Acad Pediatr. 2021 May 19;. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.05.006. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34020101. 
33.    James C, Corman H, Noonan K, Reichman NE, Jimenez ME. Adolescent Chronic Health Conditions and School Disconnectedness. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2021 Jun 29;. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000987. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34191763. 
34.    Coffield CN, Spitalnik DM, Harris JF, Jimenez ME. Exploring the Experiences of Families of Latino Children Newly Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2021 May 3;. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000965. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33941738. 
35.    Jimenez ME, Crabtree BF, Hudson SV, Mendelsohn AL, Lima D, Shelton PA, Veras J, Lin Y, Pellerano M, Morrow L, Strom BL. Enhancing Reach Out and Read with a Video and Text Messages: A Randomized Trial in a Low-income Predominantly Latino Sample. Acad Pediatr. 2021 Feb 19;. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.02.011. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33618060.
36.    Shelton PA, Morrow LM, Lima D, Maskey-Pagodin A, Pai S, Ramachandran U, Jimenez ME. Ready and Healthy for Kindergarten: A Bilingual Family Literacy Program in Primary Care. Matern Child Health J. 2021 Jan 15;. doi: 10.1007/s10995-020-03115-x. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33449273.
 

2024    Rutgers Leadership Academy
2024    Rutgers Health Distinguished Interprofessional Clinical Educator Award
2023    NIH Clinical Management in General Care Settings, Standing Member
2022    Institute for Implementation Science Scholars
2022    The American Society for Clinical Investigation (Elected)
2021    Society for Pediatric Research/ American Pediatric Society Journeys Program
2019    50 Rutgers Experts Most Cited in the Media
2019    Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Service and Advocacy for Latinos United for
        Development (SALUD) Star
2018    Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Pediatric Research Day Excellence Award
2018    Participant, Program for Early Career Excellence, Rutgers University
2016    Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Pediatric Research Day Excellence Award
2015    Eastern Society for Pediatric Research Meritorious Poster
2015    Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Pediatric Research Day Excellence Award
2014    Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences Chancellor’s Scholar
2013    American Academy of Pediatrics - Bright Futures Early Childhood Expert Panel
2013    Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia - Barbara Brodsky Endowed Fellow in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
2013    National Institutes of Health - Pediatric Loan Repayment Program (Competitive renewal 2015, 2016, and 2018)
2012    Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting - Research Award for Best Abstract by a Fellow
2010    Academic Pediatric Association Young Investigator Award for Child Development and Preventive Care Services for Young Children, Ages 0-5, Supported by The Commonwealth Fund
2008    American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Community Pediatrics Training Initiative (CPTI) – Advocacy Training Grant
2007    Children’s National Medical Center Resident Teaching Award
2006    Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Academic Excellence in Pediatrics Award 
2006    Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Alumni Association- Alumni Award
2006    Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award Presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ
2006    Gold Humanism Honor Society, UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ
2003    Phi Beta Kappa, Rutgers University