Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski
Associate Professor

Mariusz Skwarczynski

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Phone: 
+61 7 334 69894

Background

Mariusz Skwarczynski completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1999 at Wroclaw University of Technology (Poland). His postdoctoral training began at Tokushima Bunri University (Japan) under the direction of late Professor M. Nishizawa, where he studied the biomimetic total synthesis of anticancer agent paclitaxel. He then joined the laboratory of Professor Yoshiaki Kiso at Kyoto Pharmaceutical University (Japan) to study prodrugs of paclitaxel. In 2004 he was awarded with Japanese fellowship (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science postdoctoral fellowship) and research grant to conduct further research on paclitaxel. He developed novel classes of paclitaxel prodrugs: isotaxoids and phototaxels. He also co-developed an epimerization-free method for the synthesis of novel building blocks (isodipeptides) for solid phase peptide synthesis and these units have been commercialized by Merck-Novabiochem.

In 2008 he joined Professor Istvan Toth group at University of Queensland (Australia) to work on vaccine delivery strategies. Since then, he research is mainly focused on nanotechnology-based peptide vaccine delivery approaches. In 2010 he was awarded with University of Queensland Strategic Fund Research Fellowship. In Australia, he is involved in a wide range of collaborative research projects, both nationally and internationally, to develop vaccines against GAS, HIV, hookworm infections, malaria and cancer, along with antibiotics against multidrug resistant bacteria.

Availability

Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry Organic chemistry

Qualifications

  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, Wroclaw University of Technology
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Wroclaw University of Technology
  • Member, Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre
  • Journal Editorial Board Member, Current Drug Delivery, Current Drug Delivery
  • Journal Editorial Board Member, Frontiers in Pharmacology (Associate Editor), Frontiers in Pharmacology (Associate Editor)
  • Journal Editorial Board Member, Medicinal Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry
  • Member, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
  • Member, The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Alumni Association in Australia, The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Alumni Association in Australia
  • Journal Editorial Board Member, Vaccines (Regional Editor of Australia), Vaccines (Regional Editor of Australia)

Research interests

  • Vaccines and Nanomedicine

    Vaccine Desing, Nanotechnology, Peptide Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Vaccine/Drug Delivery, Antimicrobial Agents, Macromolecules, Adjuvants, Immunology

Research impacts

Mariusz Skwarczynski has over 180 publications, including peer-reviewed journals, book chapters (Wiley, Springer Nature, Nova Science, Elsevier), and two edited book (Elsevier, Springer Nature) – as of 2023. Among these publications, 16 are in journals with an impact factor of 10-30. He was ranked 3rd in the world in the Subunit Vaccines field (2012-2022) by Expertscape's PubMed-based scheme and placed among the top 0.1% (0.022% of 18,308 published authors) of scholars writing about Subunit Vaccines over the past 10 years: https://expertscape.com/ex/vaccines%2C+subunit. He is an inventor on three patents that attracted interest from the industry including Meat & Livestock Australia Ltd, Vet-Agro Sp. z o.o., Paragen Bio, and Brandon Capital. He co-developed an epimerization-free method for the synthesis of novel building blocks (isodipeptides) for solid-phase peptide synthesis; these units have been commercialised by Merck-Novabiochem. Recently, he has been actively engaged in several projects aimed at the commercialisation of veterinary vaccines (mostly targeting domestic and wild animals’ fertility control) in Australia and Italy.

He is very active in a collaborative initiative between universities, on projects to develop vaccines against Group A Streptococcus, tuberculosis, hookworm, malaria, porcine circovirus, babesia and cancer, as well as other drug delivery systems. He is an Associate Editor in Frontiers in Pharmacology, (2016 – current) and Regional Editor of Australia in Vaccines (2018 – current). In addition to grants from the ARC and NHMRC, he is also the recipient of industry-specific grants (Economic Accelerator Launch Programme 2023 and Meat & Livestock Australia Limited grant 2021). He regularly communicates with the public (locally and internationally) on issues related to vaccine development and safety. His recent publication on the oral hookworm vaccine has attracted wide media interest from all over the world (Australia, India, China, Kenya, New Zealand, Hungary, Pakistan, etc.). He is often invited to present at international conferences, and recently he organised and chaired Micro and Nanoparticles in Drug and Vaccine Delivery Symposium, Brisbane, 2021.

He has served as a primary supervisor of four PhD students (two ongoings, two theses awarded) and co-supervisor of 23 PhD students in the medicinal chemistry, biotechnology, and vaccine development fields. All his former students have successfully found jobs, many of which are in the fields of biology or chemistry, across industry and academia, in Australia and abroad. Some notable examples of current employers of his past students include Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National University of Malaysia, The Translational Research Institute, Griffith University, Miltenyi Biotec Australia, James Cook University, Procter & Gamble, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, WuXi Biologics, and Endologix California.

Search Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski’s works on UQ eSpace

204 works between 1995 and 2025
All (204) Journal Article (171) Book Chapter (19) Conference Publication (9) Book (2) Other Outputs (3)

21 - 40 of 204 works

2022

Journal Article

Development of multilayer nanoparticles for the delivery of peptide-based subunit vaccine against group a Streptococcus

Kiong, Jolynn, Nahar, Ummey Jannatun, Jin, Shengbin, Shalash, Ahmed O., Zhang, Jiahui, Koirala, Prashamsa, Khalil, Zeinab G., Capon, Robert J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Toth, Istvan and Hussein, Waleed M. (2022). Development of multilayer nanoparticles for the delivery of peptide-based subunit vaccine against group a Streptococcus. Pharmaceutics, 14 (10) 2151, 1-12. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14102151

Development of multilayer nanoparticles for the delivery of peptide-based subunit vaccine against group a Streptococcus

2022

Journal Article

Perspectives in the vaccine development against Opisthorchis viverrini liver fluke

Shalash, Ahmed O., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2022). Perspectives in the vaccine development against Opisthorchis viverrini liver fluke. MedComm – Biomaterials and Applications, 1 (2) e21, 1-8. doi: 10.1002/mba2.21

Perspectives in the vaccine development against Opisthorchis viverrini liver fluke

2022

Journal Article

Poly(hydrophobic amino acids) and liposomes for delivery of vaccine against Group A Streptococcus

Azuar, Armira, Madge, Harrison Y. R., Boer, Jennifer C., Gonzalez Cruz, Jazmina L., Wang, Jingwen, Khalil, Zeinab G., Deceneux, Cyril, Goodchild, Georgia, Yang, Jieru, Koirala, Prashamsa, Hussein, Waleed M., Capon, Robert J., Plebanski, Magdalena, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2022). Poly(hydrophobic amino acids) and liposomes for delivery of vaccine against Group A Streptococcus. Vaccines, 10 (8) 1212, 1-14. doi: 10.3390/vaccines10081212

Poly(hydrophobic amino acids) and liposomes for delivery of vaccine against Group A Streptococcus

2022

Journal Article

Development of a peptide vaccine against hookworm infection: immunogenicity, efficacy, and immune correlates of protection

Shalash, Ahmed O., Becker, Luke, Yang, Jieru, Giacomin, Paul, Pearson, Mark, Hussein, Waleed M., Loukas, Alex, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2022). Development of a peptide vaccine against hookworm infection: immunogenicity, efficacy, and immune correlates of protection. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 150 (1), 157-169.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2022.02.020

Development of a peptide vaccine against hookworm infection: immunogenicity, efficacy, and immune correlates of protection

2022

Journal Article

The potential of developing a protective peptide‐based vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2

Shalash, Ahmed O., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2022). The potential of developing a protective peptide‐based vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2. Drug Development Research, 83 (6), 1251-1256. doi: 10.1002/ddr.21969

The potential of developing a protective peptide‐based vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2

2022

Other Outputs

New peptide comprising specified amino acid sequence useful for treating or preventing inflammatory or autoimmune condition including inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease.

Cobos, C., Daly, N., Loukas, A., Bansal, P., Toth, I. and Skwarczynski, M. (2022). New peptide comprising specified amino acid sequence useful for treating or preventing inflammatory or autoimmune condition including inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease. . WO2022120423.

New peptide comprising specified amino acid sequence useful for treating or preventing inflammatory or autoimmune condition including inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease.

2022

Journal Article

New Advances in Short Peptides: Looking Forward

Apostolopoulos, Vasso, Bojarska, Joanna, Chai, Tsun-Thai, Feehan, Jack, Kaczmarek, Krzysztof, Matsoukas, John M., Paredes Lopez, Octavio, Saviano, Michele, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Smith-Carpenter, Jillian, Venanzi, Mariano, Wolf, Wojciech M., Zielenkiewicz, Piotr and Ziora, Zyta M. (2022). New Advances in Short Peptides: Looking Forward. Molecules, 27 (11) 3635, 3635. doi: 10.3390/molecules27113635

New Advances in Short Peptides: Looking Forward

2022

Journal Article

Peptide-based vaccine against SARS-CoV-2: peptide antigen discovery and screening of adjuvant systems

Shalash, Ahmed O., Azuar, Armira, Madge, Harrison Y. R., Modhiran, Naphak, Amarilla, Alberto A., Liang, Benjamin, Khromykh, Alexander A., Hussein, Waleed M., Chappell, Keith J., Watterson, Daniel, Young, Paul R., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2022). Peptide-based vaccine against SARS-CoV-2: peptide antigen discovery and screening of adjuvant systems. Pharmaceutics, 14 (4) 856, 856. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14040856

Peptide-based vaccine against SARS-CoV-2: peptide antigen discovery and screening of adjuvant systems

2022

Journal Article

Antimicrobial activity enhancers: towards smart delivery of antimicrobial agents

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Bashiri, Sahra, Yuan, Ye, Ziora, Zyta M., Nabil, Osama, Masuda, Keita, Khongkow, Mattaka, Rimsueb, Natchanon, Cabral, Horacio, Ruktanonchai, Uracha, Blaskovich, Mark A. T. and Toth, Istvan (2022). Antimicrobial activity enhancers: towards smart delivery of antimicrobial agents. Antibiotics, 11 (3) 412, 412. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics11030412

Antimicrobial activity enhancers: towards smart delivery of antimicrobial agents

2022

Journal Article

Investigation of liposomal self-adjuvanting peptide epitopes derived from conserved blood-stage Plasmodium antigens

Islam, Md. Tanjir, Ho, Mei-Fong, Nahar, Ummey J., Shalash, Ahmed O., Koirala, Prashamsa, Hussein, Waleed M., Stanisic, Danielle I., Good, Michael F., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2022). Investigation of liposomal self-adjuvanting peptide epitopes derived from conserved blood-stage Plasmodium antigens. PLoS One, 17 (3) e0264961, e0264961. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264961

Investigation of liposomal self-adjuvanting peptide epitopes derived from conserved blood-stage Plasmodium antigens

2022

Journal Article

Editorial: Advances in vaccine delivery: Adjuvants, carriers, formulations, and routes

Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2022). Editorial: Advances in vaccine delivery: Adjuvants, carriers, formulations, and routes. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13 857792, 857792. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.857792

Editorial: Advances in vaccine delivery: Adjuvants, carriers, formulations, and routes

2022

Journal Article

Peptide-based nanovaccines in the treatment of cervical cancer: a review of recent advances

Zhang, Jiahui, Fan, Jingyi, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Stephenson, Rachel J, Toth, Istvan and Hussein, Waleed M (2022). Peptide-based nanovaccines in the treatment of cervical cancer: a review of recent advances. International Journal of Nanomedicine, 17, 869-900. doi: 10.2147/ijn.s269986

Peptide-based nanovaccines in the treatment of cervical cancer: a review of recent advances

2022

Book Chapter

Preparation of Trimethyl Chitosan-Based Polyelectrolyte Complexes for Peptide Subunit Vaccine Delivery

Zhao, Lili, Bashiri, Sahra, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2022). Preparation of Trimethyl Chitosan-Based Polyelectrolyte Complexes for Peptide Subunit Vaccine Delivery. Methods in Molecular Biology. (pp. 141-149) New York, NY: Humana Press Inc.. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1900-1_9

Preparation of Trimethyl Chitosan-Based Polyelectrolyte Complexes for Peptide Subunit Vaccine Delivery

2022

Book Chapter

Liposomes for the delivery of lipopeptide vaccines

Yang, Jieru, Azuar, Armira, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2022). Liposomes for the delivery of lipopeptide vaccines. Methods in Molecular Biology. (pp. 295-307) New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1892-9_15

Liposomes for the delivery of lipopeptide vaccines

2022

Book Chapter

Current Prospects in Peptide-Based Subunit Nanovaccines

Koirala, Prashamsa, Bashiri, Sahra, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2022). Current Prospects in Peptide-Based Subunit Nanovaccines. Methods in Molecular Biology. (pp. 309-338) New York, NY: Humana Press Inc.. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1892-9_16

Current Prospects in Peptide-Based Subunit Nanovaccines

2022

Book Chapter

Polymer–Peptide Conjugate Vaccine for Oral Immunization

Faruck, Mohammad Omer, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2022). Polymer–Peptide Conjugate Vaccine for Oral Immunization. Methods in Molecular Biology. (pp. 35-44) New York, NY: Humana Press Inc.. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1892-9_3

Polymer–Peptide Conjugate Vaccine for Oral Immunization

2022

Journal Article

Development of a hyperbranched polymer-based methotrexate nanomedicine for rheumatoid arthritis

Marasini, Nirmal, Er, Gerald, Fu, Changkui, Subasic, Christopher N., Ibrahim, Jibriil, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Toth, Istvan, Whittaker, Andrew K. and Kaminskas, Lisa M. (2022). Development of a hyperbranched polymer-based methotrexate nanomedicine for rheumatoid arthritis. Acta Biomaterialia, 142, 298-307. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.01.054

Development of a hyperbranched polymer-based methotrexate nanomedicine for rheumatoid arthritis

2022

Book Chapter

Developments in vaccine adjuvants

Firdaus, Farrhana Ziana, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2022). Developments in vaccine adjuvants. Vaccine Design: Methods and Protocols, Volume 3: Resources for Vaccine Development. (pp. 145-178) edited by Sunil Thomas. New York, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1892-9_8

Developments in vaccine adjuvants

2021

Journal Article

Detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain neutralization by a sensitive competitive ELISA assay

Shalash, Ahmed O., Azuar, Armira, Madge, Harrison Y. R., Modhiran, Naphak, Amarilla, Alberto A., Liang, Benjamin, Khromykh, Alexander A., Watterson, Daniel, Young, Paul R., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2021). Detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain neutralization by a sensitive competitive ELISA assay. Vaccines, 9 (12) 1493, 1-21. doi: 10.3390/vaccines9121493

Detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain neutralization by a sensitive competitive ELISA assay

2021

Journal Article

Hookworm infection: toward development of safe and effective peptide vaccines

Shalash, Ahmed O., Hussein, Waleed M., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2021). Hookworm infection: toward development of safe and effective peptide vaccines. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 148 (6), 1394-1419.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.10.013

Hookworm infection: toward development of safe and effective peptide vaccines

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    A nanovaccine against Invasive Group A Streptococcus and Rheumatic Heart Disease
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Paving the way for a Clinical Vaccine Candidate against Hookworm Infection
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Single-shot anti-fertility vaccine in pigs
    Australia's Economic Accelerator Seed Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Poly(amino acids) as immune stimulators
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    A single-shot anti-fertility vaccine in female cattle
    Meat & Livestock Australia
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    Hookworm peptide therapeutic for oral treatment of IBD (NHMRC Development Grant administered by James Cook University)
    James Cook University
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2014
    A Self-assembling and Self-adjuvanting Nanoparticular Therapeutic Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    L-Rhamnose-based nanovaccine derived from poly-rhamnose backbone of Group A Carbohydrate (GAC) against Invasive Group A Streptococcus and Rheumatic Heart Disease

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Polymers and peptides for vaccine delivery.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Poly(hydrophobic amino acids) as immune stimulators.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Poly(hydrophobic amino acids) as immune stimulators.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Hookworm vaccine: vaccine development toward clinical trials

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Polymers and peptides for vaccine delivery.

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Poly(hydrophobic amino acids) as immune stimulators.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development of poly(hydrophobic amino acids)-based immunopotentiators for subunit vaccines against infectious diseases

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Novel Vaccine Designs of Adjuvants and Delivery Systems against Infectious Diseases

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth, Dr Rachel Stephenson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    A nanovaccine against Invasive Group A Streptococcus and Rheumatic Heart Disease

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rachel Stephenson, Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Delivery systems for novel vaccine candidates against infectious diseases

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development of poly(hydrophobic amino acids)-based immunopotentiators for subunit vaccines against infectious diseases

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski directly for media enquiries about:

  • fertility control
  • group A streptococcus
  • hookworm
  • immune adjuvants
  • nanovaccines
  • peptide vaccines

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