ALZA Corporation Science Scholars Research Award

Founded in 1968 by Dr. Alejandro Zaffaroni, the ALZA Corporation became a pioneer in biotech and a major innovator in drug-delivery technology. Based in Palo Alto—and later Mountain View, now part of the Google campus—ALZA focused not on creating new drugs but on improving how existing medicines are delivered. The company produced the first transdermal patches, ocular films for glaucoma, and targeted delivery systems such as continuous-release minipills and pumps.

Dr. Zaffaroni attracted top researchers from around the world, including four Nobel laureates on ALZA’s scientific advisory board. The company also invested in the community through programs like the ALZA Corporation Scholarship at Santa Clara University and support for the Mountain View Whisman School District’s “Science at Shoreline” program. ALZA was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2002, and more than sixty former employees have since founded their own biopharma companies.

Since 2001, ALZA Corporation Science Scholars Research Awards have provided $15,000 (over two years) to undergraduate students majoring in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Neuroscience, Public Health, Physics, Psychobiology, or Bioengineering. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and an interest in fields related to biology, chemistry, the pharmaceutical industry, or medicine.