Category Archives: Stem Cell Therapy

MANNHEIM, Germany, Nov. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Affimed N.V. (Nasdaq: AFMD) (Affimed, or the Company), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company committed to giving patients back their innate ability to fight cancer, today announced two upcoming presentations on its lead innate cell engager (ICE) AFM13 at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2023 Annual Meeting.

In the first presentation, Yago Nieto, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and principal investigator of the study, will present the updated results from the AFM13-104 phase 1/2 trial evaluating AFM13 in combination with cord blood-derived natural killer (cbNK) in patients with CD30-positive relapsed or refractory (r/r) Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas in an oral presentation, on Monday, December 11, 2023 at 11:45 a.m. PST / 2:45 p.m. EST.

A total of 42 patients were enrolled in the study with 36 patients treated at the RP2D. All patients were heavily pretreated and refractory to their most recent line of therapy with active progressive disease at the time of enrollment. As of the July 2023 cut-off date for data presented in the abstract, the treatment regimen achieved an objective response rate (ORR) of 94.4% with a complete response rate of 72.2% in the patients treated at the RP2D. In addition, the treatment regimen demonstrated a good safety and tolerability profile with no cases of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) or graft versus host disease (GVHD) of any grade.

Across all dose levels as of the cutoff date, median event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 8 months and not reached, respectively. A more in-depth analysis of the data and updated EFS/OS data using a later cut-off date will be presented during Dr. Nietos oral presentation.

The second presentation will be a poster featuring the design of Affimeds phase 2 LuminICE-203 clinical trial investigating AFM13 in combination with Artivas AlloNK (also known as AB-101), an allogeneic, non-genetically modified NK cell therapy candidate. The open-label, multi-center, multi-cohort study (NCT05883449) study is based on the unprecedented results achieved in the investigational AFM13-104 study and will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination in patients with r/r HL and certain r/rCD30+ PTCL subtypes. Affimed has recently received Fast-track designation for the AFM13/AB-101 combination.

AFM13 in combination with allogeneic NK cells has shown impressive activity with a good tolerability and safety profile demonstrating the potential of this therapy for relapsed/refractory CD30-positive lymphoma patients that have exhausted all options, said Dr. Andreas Harstrick, Chief Medical Officer at Affimed. We are confident that the phase 2 LuminICE-203 study will allow us to build on the outstanding results we have seen in the AFM13-104 trial and look forward to providing updates as the study progresses.

Details of AFM13 Oral Presentation and Abstract

Title:Innate Cell Engager (ICE) AFM13 Combined with Preactivated and Expanded (P+E) Cord Blood (CB)-Derived Natural Killer (NK) Cells for Patients with Refractory CD30-Positive Lymphomas: Final Results Session:Cellular Immunotherapies: Early Phase and Investigational Therapies: Novel Approaches to Enhance Cellular Therapies and Immune Responses in Leukemias and Lymphomas Date & Time: Monday, December 11, 2023 at 11:45 a.m. PST Location:San Diego Convention Center, Room 6CF

Details of LuminICE-203 Poster Presentation

Title: AFM13 in Combination with Allogeneic Natural Killer Cells (AB-101) in Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma and CD30+ Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: A Phase 2 Study (LuminICE) Session: Cellular Immunotherapies: Early Phase and Investigational Therapies: Poster III Session Date & Time: Monday, December 11, 2023 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. PST Location: San Diego Convention Center, Halls G-H

The full abstracts for both presentations are available on the ASH conference website via the following link: 65th ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition - Hematology.org

About the AFM13-104 Phase 1/2 Study

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is studying AFM13 in an investigator-sponsored phase 1/2 trial in combination with cord blood-derived allogeneic NK cells in patients with recurrent or refractory CD30-positive lymphomas. The study is a dose-escalation trial of precomplexed NK cells, followed by an expansion phase, recruiting up to 40 patients with r/r CD30 positive lymphomas, treated with the RP2D of1108NK cells/kg) followed by three weekly doses of 200 mg AFM13 monotherapy. Each treatment cycle consists of lymphodepleting chemotherapy with fludarabine (30 mg/m per day) and cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m per day) followed two days later by a single infusion of cytokine-preactivated and expanded cord blood-derived NK cells that are pre-complexed with AFM13. Three weekly infusions of AFM13 (200 mg) monotherapy are subsequently administered and responses are assessed by the investigator on day 28 by FDG-PET.

MD Anderson has an institutional financial conflict of interest with Affimed related to this research and has therefore implemented an Institutional Conflict of Interest Management and Monitoring Plan. Additional information about the study can be found at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04074746).

About AFM13

AFM13 is a first-in-class innate cell engager (ICE) that uniquely activates the innate immune system to destroy CD30-positive hematologic tumors. AFM13 induces specific and selective killing of CD30-positive tumor cells, leveraging the power of the innate immune system by engaging and activating natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages. AFM13 is a tetravalent bispecific innate cell engager designed to act as a bridge between the innate immune cells and the tumor creating the necessary proximity for the innate immune cells to specifically destroy the tumor cells.

About Affimed N.V.

Affimed (Nasdaq: AFMD) is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company committed to giving patients back their innate ability to fight cancer by actualizing the untapped potential of the innate immune system. The Companys proprietary ROCK platform enables a tumor-targeted approach to recognize and kill a range of hematologic and solid tumors, enabling a broad pipeline of wholly-owned and partnered single agent and combination therapy programs. The ROCK platform predictably generates customized innate cell engager (ICE) molecules, which use patients immune cells to destroy tumor cells. This innovative approach enabled Affimed to become the first company with a clinical-stage ICE. Headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, with offices in New York, NY, Affimed is led by an experienced team of biotechnology and pharmaceutical leaders united by a bold vision to stop cancer from ever derailing patients lives. For more about the Companys people, pipeline and partners, please visit: http://www.affimed.com.

About AlloNK and Artiva

Artiva is an immunotherapy company with the ability to produce off-the-shelf, allogeneic NK cell therapies at a massive scale. Artivas mission is to develop effective, safe and accessible cell therapies for patients with devastating autoimmune diseases and cancers. Artivas lead program, AlloNK (also known as AB-101), is an allogenic, non-genetically modified NK cell therapy candidate designed to enhance the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) effect of monoclonal antibodies or NK cell engagers. AlloNK is a cryopreserved, off-the-shelf therapy with the potential to be administered in the community setting. Using the companys cell therapy manufacturing platform, Artiva can generate thousands of doses of cryopreserved, infusion-ready AlloNK cells from a single umbilical cord blood unit while retaining high and consistent expression of CD16 and other activating NK receptors. Artiva is headquartered in San Diego. For more information, visitwww.artivabio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as anticipate, believe, could, estimate, expect, goal, intend, look forward to, may, plan, potential, predict, project, should, will, would and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places throughout this release and include statements regarding the Companys intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses and current expectations concerning, among other things, the potential of AFM13, AFM24, AFM28 and the Companys other product candidates, the value of its ROCK platform, its ongoing and planned preclinical development and clinical trials, its collaborations and development of its products in combination with other therapies, the timing of and its ability to make regulatory filings and obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for its product candidates, its intellectual property position, its collaboration activities, its ability to develop commercial functions, clinical trial data, its results of operations, cash needs, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, future transactions, growth and strategies, the industry in which it operates, the macroeconomic trends that may affect the industry or the Company, such as the instability in the banking sector experienced in the first quarter of 2023, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the benefits to Affimed of orphan drug designation, the impact on its business by political events, war, terrorism, business interruptions and other geopolitical events and uncertainties, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the fact that the current clinical data of AFM13 in combination with NK cell therapy is based on AFM13 precomplexed with fresh allogeneic cord blood-derived NK cells from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, as opposed to Artivas AlloNK and other uncertainties and factors described under the heading Risk Factors in Affimeds filings with the SEC. Given these risks, uncertainties, and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Affimed Investor Relations Contact

Alexander Fudukidis Director, Investor Relations E-Mail: a.fudukidis@affimed.com Tel.: +1 (917) 436-8102

Affimed Media Contact

Mary Beth Sandin Vice President, Marketing and Communications E-Mail: m.sandin@affimed.com

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Affimed Announces Oral Presentation of Phase 1/2 Data from ... - GlobeNewswire

Multiple Myeloma: David A Litman - stock.adobe.com

Differences in safety and responsebut not in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS)were observed across different racial and ethnic subgroups when patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) were treated with the BCMA-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel; Abecma). Ide-cel is still a feasible treatment for patients with RRMM, regardless of race or ethnicity, according to findings published in Blood Advances.1

The differences in PFS and OS by race and ethnicity were statistically insignificant (P =.49 and P=.99, respectively) and adjusting for clinically relevant covariates, race and ethnicity were not associated with PFS. Median PFS was 4.2 months for Hispanic/Latinx patients, 6.5 months for non-Hispanic Black patients, and 8.5 months for non-Hispanic White patients.

Median OS across all subgroups was not reached. However, Hispanic/Latinx patients did experience a lower best overall response rate at 59% compared with non-Hispanic Black and White patients, both at 86% (P =.01).

These findings should be investigated in a larger cohort of racially and ethnically diverse RRMM patients treated with [standard-of-care] ide-cel with longer follow-up time, study authors wrote.

For safety, non-Hispanic Black patients also appeared to be more likely to develop cytokine release syndrome (CRS), with 97% of non-Hispanic Black patients developing CRS compared with 77% of Hispanic/Latinx and 85% of non-Hispanic White patients (P =.04). However, there were no observed differences between subgroups regarding incidence of severe CRS grade 3 or higher, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome grade 3 or higher, or administration of steroids of tocilizumab (Actemra). While non-Hispanic Black patients had longer median hospital stays (13.5 days) compared with non-Hispanic White patients (9.0 days) and Hispanic/Latinx patients (8.0 days), there were no differences in intensive care unit admissions observed.

In the study, investigators examined the incidence of toxicities, adverse events (AEs), response to ide-cel, and survival. Two-hundred and seven patients with RRMM were treated with standard-of-care ide-cel, and 28% were from racial and ethnic minorities. There were 22 (11%) Hispanic/Latinx patients, 36 (17%) non-Hispanic Black patients, and 149 (72%) non-Hispanic White patients. Eight patients who identified as Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Alaskan Native were excluded due to limitations of sample size and power to evaluate group-specific effects. The median follow-up time was 9.3 months.1

These findings were in line with another 2022 study published in Blood Advances that investigated the impact of race, ethnicity, and obesity on CAR T-cell therapy outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These findings concluded that CAR T-cell therapy could provide substantial benefit regardless of demographic characteristics, but toxicity profiles may vary across subgroups.2

With the continued expansion of therapeutic options for RRMM patients in the SOC setting, continued evaluation of safety and efficacy across diverse patients is critical to ensure equity in the improvement of outcomes for all RRMM patients, study authors concluded.1

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Do Race and Ethnicity Affect Response to CAR T-Cell Therapy? - Targeted Oncology

Covina, Nov. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Introduction

Cell-based assays can measure a wide range of cellular activities, including cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, and the function of specific proteins or pathways within cells. They are particularly valuable for understanding disease mechanisms, screening potential drug candidates, and assessing drug safety and efficacy.

The cell-based assay market is expected to experience continued growth in the coming years, driven by rise of personalized medicine as healthcare moves toward personalized medicine, there is an increasing need for cell-based assays that can use patient-derived cells to tailor treatments to individual patients. This approach is expected to drive demand for assays that can create patient-specific disease models and assess drug responses accurately.

Key Highlights

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https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Insight/request-pdf/5195

Analyst View

The global market for cell-based assays is growing due to the expansion of life sciences research in areas such as Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Infrastructure and capabilities for research are being invested in these sectors at a faster rate. Comprehensive understanding of cellular processes and medication reactions is made possible by the combination of cell-based assays with genomics, proteomics, and other 'omics' technologies. We expect this all-encompassing strategy to become more popular.

Cell-Based Assay Market growth:

Report Scope:

By Application - Predictive Toxicology, Drug Discovery, ADME Process, and Others

By End-User - Research Organizations, Pharmaceutical companies, Government & Academic Institutes, Biotechnology Companies, and Other end-users

Europe - UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific - Japan, India, China, South Korea, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific

Latin America - Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa - South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Rest of Middle East & Africa

Key points related to the cell-based assay market include:

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https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Insight/request-sample/5195

Key players:

Cell-Based Assay Market Future outlook:

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Pharmaceutical Industry Continues to Fuel Growth of Cell-Based ... - GlobeNewswire

AgeRejuvenation And New Vitality Announce Partnership

AgeRejuvenation and New Vitality are excited to announce a new partnership, as both clinics offer the most experience in the antiaging market and share the same core patient treatment beliefs. Some of the key decisions for this partnership include the multiple locations offered by AgeRejuvenation, such as Brandon, Wesley Chapel, South Tampa, Winter Park and Winter Garden.

In addition, AgeRejuvenation has over 1,000 five-star Google reviews, and it services its patients with 13 medical providers, all credentialed in antiaging and regenerative medicine. AgeRejuvenation specializes in both male and female services, including hormone therapy, testosterone replacement therapy, peptide therapy, medical weight loss, stem cell therapy for orthopedic, sexual health treatment for females, erectile dysfunction treatment for males, diets, nutrition, food allergy/sensitivity and gut health.

New Vitalitys medical director, Dr. Trim, is working together with AgeRejuvenations chief medical officer, Dr. Ericsson, to ensure the continuity of personal treatment plans and pricing. For more information, visit https://agerejuvenation.com/ or feel free to call AgeRejuvenation directly at 813-680-5498.

Little Cheesecake Company Serves Up Decadent Cheesecakes And Baked Goods

Little Cheesecake Company started business from owner Maribel Netos kitchen. Word of her decadent New York-style cheesecakes soon spread, and Neto later opened her location at 143 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon in July.

Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, serving a wide variety of specialty cheesecakes, brownies, dessert cups, cheesecake-stuffed apples, cheesecake-filled donuts and teas and coffees. All items are made from scratch. Its cheesecakes are offered whole or by the slice, and they can be made to order with 48 hours notice.

For more information, visit its website at https://littlecheesecakecompanyllc.godaddysites.com/ or call 813-438-5020.

KO Kickboxing Offers Free Womens Self-defense Seminar

KO Kickboxing, a new cardio kickboxing/MMA studio, is offering a free womens self-defense seminar. It is taught by women, for women, and gets rave reviews. The seminar will be on Wednesday, November 8 at 6 p.m. at its new location, 173 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon. It is free, but you must call 813-588-5425 to reserve your place. To find out more about KO Kickboxing, visit its website at http://www.kokickboxingtampa.com.

Riverview Internal Medicine Now Open And Seeing Patients

Riverview Internal Medicine is excited to announce it is now open and seeing patients. Dr. Salman Ahmed, M.D. is a compassionate physician who has been in practice for over 20 years. The practice offers essential services, including managing high blood pressure, diabetes, congestive heart failure, womens health, hormone replacement therapy and more. Riverview Internal Medicine also has a focus on preventative medicine.

Ahmeds practice is conveniently located at 13113 Vail Ridge Dr. in Riverview at the cross section of U.S. 301 and Big Bend Road in the medical complex behind Publix. Its office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and has appointment availability on Saturday. For more information, visit http://www.riverviewinternalmedicine.comor call 813-257-0342.

SCORE Tampa Seeking Volunteer Mentors

SCORE Tampa-Hillsborough County offers free small business mentoring by experts in marketing, finance, CPAs and more. Face-to-face or online, SCORE mentors are able and willing to aid in the success of small businesses, but they cant do it without volunteers. SCORE-Tampa-Hillsborough County is actively seeking volunteerbusiness mentors.

To find out how you can becomea mentor with just a few hours a week of commitment, visitwww.score.org/volunteer/become-mentor.

PrimeHealth Urgent Care Now Open In FishHawk Ranch

PrimeHealth Urgent Care recently opened a FishHawk Ranch location in the Publix plaza at 5660 Fishhawk Crossing Blvd. in Lithia. PrimeHealth Urgent Care provides medical care for urgent needs, such as acute sickness; stitches; sports, work or auto injuries; school and sports participation physicals; X-rays; EKGs; and so much more, to quickly address any medical need. Your health is its priority.

PrimeHealth Urgent Care is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, visit its website at http://www.primehealthuc.com or call 813-725-5088.

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Eye On Business; Bloomingdale/FishHawk, November 2023 - Osprey Observer

LONDON, Ontario and WINDHAM COUNTY, Conn., Oct. 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sernova Corp. (TSX:SVA) (OTCQB:SEOVF) (FSE/XETRA:PSH), a clinical-stage company and leader in cell therapeutics, today announced an update on its conformal coating immune protection technology program, that is used in combination with the Cell Pouch. The goal of the program is to eliminate the need for chronic immunosuppression medications, currently used in islet cell transplantation for type 1 diabetes (T1D) treatment.

The update was presented by Dr. Alice Tomei, of the University of Miami, at the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association (IPITA)-International Xenotransplantation Association (IXA)-Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Society (CTRMS) Joint Congress, taking place from October 26-29 in San Diego, California.

The presentation showcased positive advancement in the refinement of the coating composition and process, outcomes of preclinical studies with the Cell Pouch as well as rationale and historical development of the technology.

The following summarizes key advancements presented:

We have made significant advancements in the evolution of the conformal coating technology in our collaboration with Sernova and are confident we have the final formulation. I look forward to our continuing studies and presenting more results, said Dr. Alice Tomei, Miami Engineering Career Development Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Miami and director of the Islet Immunoengineering Lab at the Miller School of Medicine Diabetes Research Institute.

We understand that eliminating the standard immune suppression regimen is key to Sernova delivering a functional cure for all T1D patients, said Cynthia Pussinen, Chief Executive Officer at Sernova. Our goal is to continue to drive this technology ahead and ultimately bring a local immune-protected cell product into the clinic combined with the Sernova Cell Pouch and iPSC islet-like clusters.

RELEVANT PRESENTATION DETAILS

Title: Transplantation of Conformal Coated Islets in a Pre-Vascularized Cell Pouch Device for Beta Cell Replacement in Diabetic Rats

Session: Islet Transplantation: Engineering the Islet Site Session

Date: Friday, October 27, 2023

ABOUT THE CONFORMAL COATING TECHNOLOGY

The conformal coating technology is a proprietary, mechanically stable, thin, biocompatible, and cross-linked polymer hydrogel that coats the outside of each individual islet housed within the Cell Pouch. The conformal coating technology offers selective permeability, with immuno-protective capability, while not interfering with the kinetics of insulin and glucose release. Importantly, the conformal coating configuration also allows for the physiological transfer of oxygen and nutrients needed for islet survival and long-term function within the pre-vascularized Cell Pouch.

ABOUT SERNOVA CORP. AND THE CELL POUCH SYSTEM PLATFORM FOR CELL THERAPY

Sernova Corp. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that is developing therapeutic cell technologies for chronic diseases, including insulin-dependent diabetes, thyroid disease, and blood disorders that include hemophilia A. Sernova is currently focused on developing a functional cure for insulin-dependent diabetes with its lead asset, the Cell Pouch System, a novel implantable and scalable medical device with immune protected therapeutic cells. On implantation, The Cell Pouch forms a natural vascularized tissue environment in the body for long-term survival and function of therapeutic cells that release essential factors that are absent or deficient in the bodies of patients with certain chronic diseases. Sernovas Cell Pouch System has demonstrated its potential to be a functional cure for people with T1D in an ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical study at the University of Chicago. Sernova is also advancing a proprietary technology in collaboration with the University of Miami to shield therapeutic cells from immune system attack with the goal to eliminate the need for chronic, systemic immunosuppression. In May 2022, Sernova and Evotec entered into a global strategic partnership to develop an implantable off-the-shelf iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cells) based islet replacement therapy. This partnership provides Sernova a potentially unlimited supply of insulin-producing cells to treat millions of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes (type 1 and type 2). Sernova continues to progress two additional development programs that utilize its Cell Pouch System: a cell therapy for hypothyroid disease resulting from thyroid gland removal and an ex vivo lentiviral Factor VIII gene therapy for hemophilia A.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This release contains statements that, to the extent they are not recitations of historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements that involve various risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including, without limitation, statements regarding the prospects, plans, and objectives of the company. Wherever possible, but not always, words such as expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential for and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could or should occur are used to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect managements beliefs with respect to future events and are based on information currently available to management on the date such statements were made. Many factors could cause Sernovas actual results, performances or achievements to not be as anticipated, estimated or intended or to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Such factors could include, but are not limited to, the companys ability to secure additional financing and licensing arrangements on reasonable terms, or at all; ability to conduct all required preclinical and clinical studies for the companys Cell Pouch System and or related technologies, including the timing and results of those trials; ability to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals, or on a timely basis; ability to in-license additional complementary technologies; ability to execute its business strategy and successfully compete in the market; and the inherent risks associated with the development of biotechnology combination products generally. Many of the factors are beyond our control, including those caused by, related to, or impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Investors should consult the companys quarterly and annual filings available on http://www.sedarplus.ca for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Sernova expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Sernova Announces New Advancements of Conformal Coating ... - BioSpace

STEM might win the award for the most talked about education buzzword of the last 10 years or so. Its gotten to the point where, similar to the organic and low fat labels in the food industry, STEM could mean very little if you see it on toys or educational products. So how do we talk intelligently about STEM education and where it needs to go? The first step is understanding the history of this term and what it means for schools.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM curriculum blends those subjects in order to teach 21st-century skills, or tools students need to have if they wish tosucceed in the workplace of the future. The idea is that in order to be prepared for jobs and compete with students from different parts of the world, students here in the US need to be able to solve problems, find and use evidence, collaborate on projects, and think critically. Skills, the thinking goes, that are taught in those subjects.

Still, STEM can be hard to define. Its such a popular term that it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Although the science (biology, chemistry, etc.) and math (algebra, calculus, etc.) parts of the abbreviation might be easy to figure out, the technology and engineering parts might be less clear. Technology includes topics such as computer programming, analytics, and design. Engineering can include topics like electronics, robots, and civil engineering. The key term, when talking about STEM, is integration. STEM curriculum intentionally melds these disciplines. Its a blended approach that encourages hands-on experience and gives students the chance to gain and apply relevant, real-world knowledge in the classroom.

Like most things, STEM was around before it had an actual name. But STEM wasnt known as STEM until Dr. Judith Ramalay coined the term. While working as director at the National Science Foundation in the early 2000s, Ramalay came up with the term to describe the blended curriculum she and her team were developing. Referred to as SMET at first,which, if we had to guess, might also be the name of a Scandinavian dessert, Ramalay changed the acronym around because she didnt like how SMET sounded. So we (thankfully) got STEM.

STEM grew in popularity due to the concerns of politicians and other leaders that US students were not keeping pace with other students and would thus not be prepared to work in the fastest-growing career sectors, which generally fall under the STEM umbrella. In 2009, the Obama administration announced its plan to support STEM curriculum that would both encourage and train students to pursue careers in those fields. It would also support teachers to, well, teach students those skills. That effort has been formalized in many ways, including using the language of STEM in Next Gen Science Standards. So, teachers everywhere are expectedby parents, administrators, etc.to provide a STEM-rich curriculum.

We get it. STEM sounds like a lot. Theres a big difference between teaching students to remember to carry the one and teaching them how to code. But there are simple, unintimidating, and effective ways to implement a STEM curriculum in your classroom that has nothing to do with teaching R2D2 to dab.

If you teach younger students, create an environment that encourages observation and asking questions that begin with Why ? or How does ? Go on nature walks. Sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm and use it as a springboard to think about the ecosystem of a farm. Explore how simple classroom machines, like a stapler, work. Above all, its important to help students to get a solid foundation. Make sure they are fluent in basic skills like addition and subtraction, measurement, or identifying shapes.

For upper elementary and middle school students, consider project-based learning. Pose problems that students can relate to, can be solved in different ways, and let students work together and provide evidence of their thinking. Most importantly, students need to be able to pull from their knowledge of different subjects as they work toward an answer. The Association for Middle School Education, for example, provides several great scenarios that promote STEM learning. For instance, if there was an outbreak of illness at a carnival, how would your students solve that problem? Or, even more broadly, how might they create a community of the future?

High school students, especially juniors or seniors, should definitely be thinking about college and beyond. Do you have a student or two who might make a great crime scene investigator? How might you bring a version of the board game Clue into the classroom? Help students use forensic science and their investigative skills to determine whodunit and the cause of death. What math skills do they need to know to come up with the analytics to predict the next NBA champion? Or, have students run analytics for previous seasons and compare their results to what really happened.

Theres no I in team. Theres also no A in STEMuntil recently. Asking questions, using evidence, and working well with others to solve problems are not skills taught only in the hard sciences. Excellent humanities and social science curricula teach these tools as well. And they engage students creativity and imagination. As such, theres a growing movement to incorporate more arts and humanities subjects into STEM curriculum. This is a great co-teaching opportunity. How might your English class join up with science students in the previously mentioned Clue scenario? Maybe they can write a backstory. Perhaps another group of students can design and build a scale version of the crime scene. There are lots of possibilities. Above all, whether its STEM or STEAM, your plan should encourage cross-curricular activities and inspire students to use and gain knowledge in exciting ways.

WeAreTeachers has some excellent STEM and STEAM resources. Check out some of them:

How do you STEM your curriculum? Come share in ourWeAreTeachers HELPLINE groupon Facebook.

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What Is STEM? - Definition & Resources for Teachers