Overview
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), and then Kyoto Pharmaceutical University (Japan). In 2008 he joined Professor Istvan Toth’s group at The University of Queensland (Australia) to work on new vaccine development strategies. Currently his group activity is mainly focused on nanotechnology-based peptide vaccine delivery approaches and adjuvants discovery. He is Regional Editor of Australia in Vaccines, and Associate Editor in Frontiers in Pharmacology. He has published over 190 peer-reviewed publications, including 18 book chapters and three books.
Availability
- Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
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
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Vaccines and Nanomedicine
Vaccine Design, Adjuvants, Nanotechnology, Peptide Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Vaccine/Drug Delivery, Antimicrobial Agents, Macromolecules, Immunology
Research impacts
Mariusz Skwarczynski work focuses on nanotechnology-based approaches to vaccine adjuvants, with the potential for significant practical applications in developing novel vaccines. He has co-developed unique peptide, polymer, and liposomes-based adjuvanting systems used in vaccine development against malaria, hookworm, Group A Streptococcus, cancer and fertility vaccines.
As per January 2026:
He has published 3 books, 18 book chapters, and over 170 journal papers (~ 40 first and ~ 40 as last author, h index = 55, citations >9000), with a Field-Weighted Citation Impact of 2.14 (twice higher than the average researcher), and 29.9% of publications in last 5-years are in the top 10% of journals by CiteScore. Ranked 5th (Top 0.027% of 18,422) in the world in Subunit Vaccines (2012-2022; ExpertScape) and listed in World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University in 2024, inside the top 0.35% in medicinal & biomolecular chemistry. His publications have received > 150 patent cites.
In the past 10 years, he secured $33.8M in grant funding, including $3.0M as the principle CI, $10.1M as a CI and $20.7M as the AI. He currently holds five grants as a CI: 2xNHMRC Ideas (CIA, 2024-27, $608K; CIA, 2024-27, $856K), CRE NHMRC (CIF, 2026-31, $3,000K), Synergy NHMRC (CIF, 2026-31, $5,000K), and ARC DP (CIA, 2026-30, $1,073K).
He has been invited 21 times in the last 5 years to present at international seminars and conferences,including invited lectures at National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC) (Bangkok, Thailand), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno (Campania, Italy), University of Opole, (Opole, Poland), and 5th International Symposium on Synthetic Peptide as Human and Veterinary Pharmaceutical Products, (Varadero, Cuba). His work has received over 39 news articles from national and international agencies, including 11 interviews and articles in 2021 from Australia, India, Pakistan, Hungary, Kenya and New Zealand for his work on the oral hookworm vaccine.
He is the Regional Editor of Australia for Vaccines and Associate Editor for Frontiers in Pharmacology. He has organised 9 special issues in the last 5 years for journals such as Vaccines, Molecules and Frontiers in Pharmacology. Furthermore, he organised and chaired “Micro and Nanoparticles in Drug and Vaccine Delivery Symposium”, St Lucia, QLD, 3rd December 2021. He regularly reviews domestic grants, for example, 13 NHMRC Ideas grants in 2024, as well as international, for example, Austrian Science Fund, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, The Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council (UK). Peer reviews >10/year for top international journals (e.g. Nat. Commun.; Adv. Sci.; Adv. Mater.; Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev; Acta Biomater.).
He was/is co/supervisor of 33 PhD students (graduated and ongoing), and co/supervisor of over 30 research students. In the years 2019-2025, his supervised students received eleven awards, including the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses, and awards at international conferences (travel, best poster, best oral presentations).
Works
Search Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Cell-penetrating peptides-based liposomal delivery system enhanced immunogenicity of peptide-based vaccine against group A streptococcus
Yang, Jieru, Firdaus, Farrhana, Azuar, Armira, Khalil, Zeinab G., Marasini, Nirmal, Capon, Robert J., Hussein, Waleed M., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2021). Cell-penetrating peptides-based liposomal delivery system enhanced immunogenicity of peptide-based vaccine against group A streptococcus. Vaccines, 9 (5) 499, 499. doi: 10.3390/vaccines9050499
2021
Journal Article
Poly(hydrophobic amino acid)-based self-adjuvanting nanoparticles for Group A Streptococcus vaccine delivery
Azuar, Armira, Li, Zhuoqing, Shibu, Mohini A., Zhao, Lili, Luo, Yacheng, Shalash, Ahmed O., Khalil, Zeinab G., Capon, Robert J., Hussein, Waleed M., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2021). Poly(hydrophobic amino acid)-based self-adjuvanting nanoparticles for Group A Streptococcus vaccine delivery. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 64 (5) acs.jmedchem.0c01660, 2648-2658. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01660
2021
Journal Article
A global review on short peptides: frontiers and perspectives
Apostolopoulos, Vasso, Bojarska, Joanna, Chai, Tsun-Thai, Elnagdy, Sherif, Kaczmarek, Krzysztof, Matsoukas, John, New, Roger, Parang, Keykavous, Lopez, Octavio Paredes, Parhiz, Hamideh, Perera, Conrad O., Pickholz, Monica, Remko, Milan, Saviano, Michele, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Tang, Yefeng, Wolf, Wojciech M., Yoshiya, Taku, Zabrocki, Janusz, Zielenkiewicz, Piotr, AlKhazindar, Maha, Barriga, Vanessa, Kelaidonis, Konstantinos, Sarasia, Elham Mousavinezhad and Toth, Istvan (2021). A global review on short peptides: frontiers and perspectives. Molecules, 26 (2) 430, 430. doi: 10.3390/molecules26020430
2021
Book Chapter
Peptide-Polymer Conjugation Via Copper-Catalyzed Alkyne-Azide 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition
Hussein, Waleed M., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2021). Peptide-Polymer Conjugation Via Copper-Catalyzed Alkyne-Azide 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition. Methods in Molecular Biology. (pp. 1-7) New York, NY United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1617-8_1
2021
Journal Article
A potent vaccine delivery system
Zhao, Guangzu, Azuar, Armira, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2021). A potent vaccine delivery system. Bio-protocol, 11 (7) e3973, e3973. doi: 10.21769/bioprotoc.3973
2021
Book Chapter
Double conjugation using mercapto-acryloyl and alkyne-azide reactions for the synthesis of branched multiantigenic vaccine candidates
Hussein, Waleed M., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2021). Double conjugation using mercapto-acryloyl and alkyne-azide reactions for the synthesis of branched multiantigenic vaccine candidates. Peptide conjugation: methods and protocols. (pp. 141-150) New York, NY United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1617-8_13
2021
Journal Article
Antibodies to neutralising epitopes synergistically block the interaction of the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE 2
Pandey, Manisha, Ozberk, Victoria, Eskandari, Sharareh, Shalash, Ahmed O., Joyce, Michael A., Saffran, Holly A., Day, Christopher J., Lepletier, Ailin, Spillings, Belinda L., Mills, Jamie-Lee, Calcutt, Ainslie, Fan, Fan, Williams, James T., Stanisic, Danielle I., Hattingh, Laetitia, Gerrard, John, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Mak, Johnson, Jennings, Michael P., Toth, Istvan, Tyrrell, D. Lorne and Good, Michael F. (2021). Antibodies to neutralising epitopes synergistically block the interaction of the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE 2. Clinical and Translational Immunology, 10 (3) e1260, e1260. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1260
2020
Journal Article
A dual-adjuvanting strategy for peptide-based subunit vaccines against group A Streptococcus: lipidation and polyelectrolyte complexes
Zhao, Lili, Yang, Jieru, Nahar, Ummey Jannatun, Khalil, Zeinab G., Capon, Robert J., Hussein, Waleed M., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2020). A dual-adjuvanting strategy for peptide-based subunit vaccines against group A Streptococcus: lipidation and polyelectrolyte complexes. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 28 (24) 115823, 115823. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115823
2020
Journal Article
Carbohydrate immune adjuvants in subunit vaccines
Bashiri, Sahra, Koirala, Prashamsa, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2020). Carbohydrate immune adjuvants in subunit vaccines. Pharmaceutics, 12 (10) 965, 965-33. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12100965
2020
Journal Article
Progress in the development of subunit vaccines against malaria
Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Chandrudu, Saranya, Rigau-Planella, Berta, Islam, Md. Tanjir, Cheong, Yee S., Liu, Genan, Wang, Xiumin, Toth, Istvan and Hussein, Waleed M. (2020). Progress in the development of subunit vaccines against malaria. Vaccines, 8 (3) 373, 1-19. doi: 10.3390/vaccines8030373
2020
Journal Article
Development of polyelectrolyte complexes for the delivery of peptide-based subunit vaccines against group A streptococcus
Zhao, Lili, Jin, Wanli, Cruz, Jazmina Gonzalez, Marasini, Nirmal, Khalil, Zeinab G., Capon, Robert J., Hussein, Waleed M., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2020). Development of polyelectrolyte complexes for the delivery of peptide-based subunit vaccines against group A streptococcus. Nanomaterials, 10 (5) 823, 823. doi: 10.3390/nano10050823
2020
Journal Article
Lipopeptide-based oral vaccine against hookworm infection
Bartlett, Stacey, Eichenberger, Ramon M., Nevagi, Reshma J., Ghaffar, Khairunnisa Abdul, Marasini, Nirmal, Dai, Yang, Loukas, Alex, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2020). Lipopeptide-based oral vaccine against hookworm infection. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 221 (6), 934-942. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiz528
2020
Journal Article
Non-invasive mucosal vaccine delivery: advantages, challenges and the future
Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2020). Non-invasive mucosal vaccine delivery: advantages, challenges and the future. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 17 (4), 1-3. doi: 10.1080/17425247.2020.1731468
2020
Journal Article
Development of natural and unnatural amino acid delivery systems against hookworm infection
Bartlett, Stacey, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Xie, Xin, Toth, Istvan, Loukas, Alex and Eichenberger, Ramon M. (2020). Development of natural and unnatural amino acid delivery systems against hookworm infection. Precision Nanomedicine, 3 (1), 471-482. doi: 10.33218/prnano3(1).191210.1
2020
Journal Article
Poly(amino acids) as a potent self-adjuvanting delivery system for peptide-based nanovaccines
Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Zhao, Guangzu, Boer, Jennifer C., Ozberk, Victoria, Azuar, Armira, Gonzalez Cruz, Jazmina, Kumar Giddam, Ashwini, Khalil, Zeinab G., Pandey, Manisha, Shibu, Mohini A., Hussein, Waleed M., Nevagi, Reshma J., Batzloff, Michael R., Wells, James W., Capon, Robert J., Plebanski, Magdalena, Good, Michael F. and Toth, Istvan (2020). Poly(amino acids) as a potent self-adjuvanting delivery system for peptide-based nanovaccines. Science Advances, 6 (5) eaax2285, eaax2285. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aax2285
2020
Journal Article
Polyacrylate–peptide antigen conjugate as a single-dose oral vaccine against Group A Streptococcus
Faruck, Mohammad Omer, Zhao, Lili, Hussein, Waleed M., Khalil, Zeinab G., Capon, Robert J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2020). Polyacrylate–peptide antigen conjugate as a single-dose oral vaccine against Group A Streptococcus. Vaccines, 8 (1) 23, 1-10. doi: 10.3390/vaccines8010023
2020
Book Chapter
An isodipeptide building block for microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides
Hussein, Waleed M., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2020). An isodipeptide building block for microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides. Peptide synthesis: methods and protocols. (pp. 139-150) edited by Waleed M. Hussein, Mariusz Skwarczynski and Istvan Toth. New York, NY, United States: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0227-0_9
2020
Journal Article
Lipids as activators of innate immunity in peptide vaccine delivery
Bartlett, Stacey, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2020). Lipids as activators of innate immunity in peptide vaccine delivery. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 25 (17), 2887-2901. doi: 10.2174/0929867325666181026100849
2020
Journal Article
Application of Fmoc-SPPS, thiol-maleimide conjugation, and copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition "click" reaction in the synthesis of a complex peptide-based vaccine candidate against Group A Streptococcus
Dai, Chuankai, Stephenson, Rachel J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2020). Application of Fmoc-SPPS, thiol-maleimide conjugation, and copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition "click" reaction in the synthesis of a complex peptide-based vaccine candidate against Group A Streptococcus. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2103, 13-27. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0227-0_2
2020
Book Chapter
Preface
Hussein, Waleed M., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2020). Preface. Peptide synthesis: methods and protocols. (pp. v-v) edited by Waleed M. Hussein, Mariusz Skwarczynski and Istvan Toth. New York, NY, United States: Springer.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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A nanonaccine against Invasive Group A Streptococcus and Rheumatic Heart Disease
The major challenge in any vaccine development is its formulation/delivery once the target antigens are identified. The main aim of this project is to adopt and further develop our immune-stimulating delivery systems to produce a multicomponent synthetic (poly)peptide vaccine candidate against Group A Streptococcus (GAS), the major causative agent of deadly diseases such as rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and invasive GAS infection. Notably, a variety of vaccines against GAS infection have reached clinical trials in the past decades; however, these vaccines have limited efficacy due to the high variability of GAS strains. We hypothesise that the incorporation of three conserved peptide antigens from GAS proteins into our newly developed nanoparticles-based vaccine delivery systems will overcome the above obstacles and produce an efficient and universal vaccine candidate against GAS. The project will deliver preclinical vaccine candidates against Group A Streptococcus, which, after oral dosing, will be able to induce robust opsonic antibody production against a wide range of GAS strains without triggering adverse effects and off-target immune responses. We will employ peptide antigens from the highly conserved region of M-protein, cell envelope proteinase, and fibronectin-binding protein 1. The optimized vaccine delivery system will be easily adaptable for the development of vaccines against other diseases.
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Oral anti-fertility vaccine for rabbits
Develop the first oral vaccines that suppress fertility in rabbits and enable responsible and ethical landscape population control. Expected outcomes of this project include the creation of a commercially attractive oral immunization platform.
Who can apply: medicinal/peptide chemists with preferable knowledge in immunology and pharmaceutical formulations.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Hookworm vaccine: vaccine development toward clinical trials
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
Doctor Philosophy
A nanovaccine against Invasive Group A Streptococcus and Rheumatic Heart Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Rachel Stephenson, Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
Doctor Philosophy
A Nanovaccine against Invasive Group A Streptococcus and Rheumatic Heart Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
Doctor Philosophy
Combating cervical cancer through a combination of anticancer therapy and vaccinations.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Zyta M Ziora
-
Doctor Philosophy
Novel Vaccine Designs of Adjuvants and Delivery Systems against Infectious Diseases
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth, Dr Rachel Stephenson
Completed supervision
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
Development of mannose receptor ligands as novel immune adjuvants
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Development of silver nanoparticles as novel adjuvants in vaccine
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Development of a new peptide-based self-adjuvanting delivery system for vaccine against Group A Streptococcus (GAS)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Delivery of a peptide-based vaccine against group A streptococcus with the help of cell-penetrating peptides
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Development of poly(hydrophobic amino acids)-based immunopotentiators for subunit vaccines against infectious diseases
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Polymers as a nanoparticulate adjuvant and vaccine delivery system
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
The role of shape in vaccine delivery: Polymeric nanoparticles-based peptide vaccine against Group A Streptococci (GAS) infection
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Lipophilic Peptides as Immune Stimulants
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Cholesterol-based Vaccine Delivery Systems against Group A Streptococcal Infection
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Peptide-based Vaccines against Infectious Diseases: Hookworm, Liver fluke, and SARS-CoV-2 virus
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Development of polyacrylate-based delivery systems for peptide vaccines
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Targeting lectin receptors for vaccine delivery against group A streptococcus
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Development of an effective prophylactic and therapeutic treatment for malaria
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Design and evaluation of polysaccharide-based nanoparticles for mucosal vaccine delivery
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Hydrophobic amino acid-based vaccine delivery systems to induce cellular and humoral immunity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Development of novel nanoparticulate polymeric delivery system for peptide vaccines against group A streptococcus
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Epitope-focused vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Keith Chappell, Professor Daniel Watterson, Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Peptide-Based Self-Assembling Delivery System for Development of Group A Streptococcus Vaccine
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Development of novel nanoparticle-based mucosal delivery systems for lipopeptide vaccine against group A streptococcus
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Therapeutic and Preventive Potential of Synthetic Lipopeptides against Bacterial Infections
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Peptide-Based Vaccines Against Group A Streptococcus (GAS) and Malaria
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Novel Strategies for Delivery of Vaccine Candidates Against Group A Streptococcus
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Liposome-based delivery system for the development of malaria vaccine
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
The Development of Peptide-Based Subunit Vaccines against Streptococcus pyogenes, Necator americanus and Schistosome mansoni.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Self-assembling and self-adjuvanting polymer-peptide conjugates as therapeutic vaccines against cervical cancer
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2010
Doctor Philosophy
Lipopeptide-Carbohydrate-Antigen Platforms for Synthetic Vaccine Development
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
-
2010
Doctor Philosophy
The synthesis and characterization of peptide-based carriers for gene delivery and peptide therapeutics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth
Media
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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