Good Morning, I hope you’re doing well. My name is Keith Johnson, and I’m reaching out on the recommendation of Jill Rees at the USDA office here in Oregon. She suggested I connect with OSU Extension regarding potential funding opportunities for our work. I am the founder of Cypress Bio, an early-stage biotechnology venture focused on leveraging plant-based systems for scalable, cost-effective biopharmaceutical production. Our proprietary technology enables rapid protein expression in plants, with applications in both human and animal health. Given our roots at Oregon State—both Dr. Kevin Wang (our Chief Scientist) and I are OSU alumni—we are particularly interested in exploring ways to collaborate with the university and its networks. At this stage, we are actively seeking seed funding to establish and scale our technologies, and we are exploring funding avenues that align with OSU Extension’s mission. Our platform consists of two key innovations: Lettuce-Based Bio-Capsule System – A first-of-its-kind technology that converts injectable medications into shelf-stable oral capsules. This innovation eliminates the need for costly injections, reduces distribution barriers, and expands access to essential medicines worldwide. Our initial focus includes insulin for diabetes, cancer treatments, and therapies for Alzheimer’s and other aging-related diseases. Plant Rapid Protein Production System (PRPPS) – A breakthrough biomanufacturing system capable of producing critical medicines—such as vaccines and antibodies—in just 4–7 days. This approach provides a faster, more scalable, and cost-effective alternative to traditional pharmaceutical production. One of the most immediate applications of our PRPPS technology is in avian influenza prevention and mitigation. With the ongoing challenges posed by highly pathogenic avian influenza, we believe our plant-based biomanufacturing platform could provide a scalable, cost-effective approach to producing vaccines and therapeutics for poultry and other livestock. Additionally, our Lettuce-Based Bio-Capsule System could enable an oral-delivery method via feed, offering a more efficient and accessible means of disease prevention and mitigation in poultry populations. If this is of interest, would you be available for a brief call to explore whether there are funding programs or collaboration opportunities that could support this work? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.