Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski
Associate Professor

Mariusz Skwarczynski

Email: 
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

205 works between 1995 and 2025
All (205) Journal Article (172) Book Chapter (19) Conference Publication (9) Book (2) Other Outputs (3)

81 - 100 of 205 works

2019

Journal Article

Structure-activity relationship of group A streptococcus lipopeptide vaccine candidates in trimethyl chitosan-based self-adjuvanting delivery system

Nevagi, Reshma J., Dai, Wei, Khalil, Zeinab G., Hussein, Waleed M., Capon, Robert J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2019). Structure-activity relationship of group A streptococcus lipopeptide vaccine candidates in trimethyl chitosan-based self-adjuvanting delivery system. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 179, 100-108. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.06.047

Structure-activity relationship of group A streptococcus lipopeptide vaccine candidates in trimethyl chitosan-based self-adjuvanting delivery system

2019

Journal Article

Polymers for subunit vaccine delivery

Nevagi, Reshma J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2019). Polymers for subunit vaccine delivery. European Polymer Journal, 114, 397-410. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2019.03.009

Polymers for subunit vaccine delivery

2019

Journal Article

Induction of Plasmodium-specific immune responses using liposome-based vaccines

Ssemaganda, Aloysious, Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Zaman, Mehfuz, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Toth, Istvan, Stanisic, Danielle I. and Good, Michael F. (2019). Induction of Plasmodium-specific immune responses using liposome-based vaccines. Frontiers in Immunology, 10 135, 135. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00135

Induction of Plasmodium-specific immune responses using liposome-based vaccines

2019

Journal Article

Cell-penetrating peptides: efficient vectors for vaccine delivery

Yang, Jieru, Luo, Yacheng, Shibu, Mohini Anjna, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2019). Cell-penetrating peptides: efficient vectors for vaccine delivery. Current Drug Delivery, 16 (5), 430-443. doi: 10.2174/1567201816666190123120915

Cell-penetrating peptides: efficient vectors for vaccine delivery

2019

Conference Publication

Development of polymer-based nanoparticulate intranasal lipopeptide vaccine constructs against group A streptococcus

Nevagi, Reshma Jayprakash, Dai, Wei, Khalil, Zeinab, Hussein, Waleed, Capon, Robert, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2019). Development of polymer-based nanoparticulate intranasal lipopeptide vaccine constructs against group A streptococcus. National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Orlando, FL, United States, 31 March - 4 April, 2019. Washington, DC, United States: American Chemical Society.

Development of polymer-based nanoparticulate intranasal lipopeptide vaccine constructs against group A streptococcus

2019

Journal Article

Drug delivery Asia

Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2019). Drug delivery Asia. Current Drug Delivery, 16 (7), 586-587. doi: 10.2174/156720181607190917091556

Drug delivery Asia

2018

Journal Article

Liposomal formulation of polyacrylate-peptide conjugate as a new vaccine candidate against cervical cancer

Khongkow, Mattaka, Liu, Tzu-yu, Bartlett, Stacey, Hussein, Waleed M., Nevagi, Reshma, Jia, Zhongfan, Monteiro, Michael J., Wells, James, Ruktanonchai, Uracha Rungsardthong, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2018). Liposomal formulation of polyacrylate-peptide conjugate as a new vaccine candidate against cervical cancer. Precision Nanomedicine, 1 (3), 183-193. doi: 10.33218/prnano1(3).181003.1

Liposomal formulation of polyacrylate-peptide conjugate as a new vaccine candidate against cervical cancer

2018

Journal Article

Polyglutamic acid-trimethyl chitosan-based intranasal peptide nano-vaccine induces potent immune responses against group A streptococcus

Nevagi, Reshma J., Khalil, Zeinab G., Hussein, Waleed M., Powell, Jessica, Batzloff, Michael R., Capon, Robert J., Good, Michael F., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2018). Polyglutamic acid-trimethyl chitosan-based intranasal peptide nano-vaccine induces potent immune responses against group A streptococcus. Acta Biomaterialia, 80, 278-287. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2018.09.037

Polyglutamic acid-trimethyl chitosan-based intranasal peptide nano-vaccine induces potent immune responses against group A streptococcus

2018

Journal Article

Investigating the affinity of poly tert-butyl acrylate toward Toll-Like Receptor 2

Hussein, Waleed M., Choi, Phil M., Zhang, Cheng, Sierecki, Emma, Johnston, Wayne, Jia, Zhongfan, Monteiro, Michael J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Gambin, Yann and Toth, Istvan (2018). Investigating the affinity of poly tert-butyl acrylate toward Toll-Like Receptor 2. AIMS Allergy and Immunology, 2 (3), 141-147. doi: 10.3934/allergy.2018.3.141

Investigating the affinity of poly tert-butyl acrylate toward Toll-Like Receptor 2

2018

Book Chapter

Peptide-based vaccines

Nevagi, Reshma J., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2018). Peptide-based vaccines. Peptide applications in biomedicine, biotechnology and bioengineering. (pp. 327-358) edited by Sotirios Koutsopoulos. Duxford, United Kingdom: Woodhead Publishing (Elsevier). doi: 10.1016/B978-0-08-100736-5.00012-0

Peptide-based vaccines

2017

Journal Article

Induction of high titred, non-neutralising antibodies by self-adjuvanting peptide epitopes derived from the respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein

Jaberolansar, Noushin, Chappell, Keith J., Watterson, Daniel, Bermingham, Imogen M., Toth, Istvan, Young, Paul R. and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2017). Induction of high titred, non-neutralising antibodies by self-adjuvanting peptide epitopes derived from the respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein. Scientific Reports, 7 (1) 11130, 11130. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-10415-w

Induction of high titred, non-neutralising antibodies by self-adjuvanting peptide epitopes derived from the respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein

2017

Journal Article

Bivalent mucosal peptide vaccines administered using the LCP carrier system stimulate protective immune responses against Streptococcus pyogenes infection

Schulze, Kai, Ebensen, Thomas, Chandrudu, Saranya, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Toth, Istvan, Olive, Colleen and Guzman, Carlos A (2017). Bivalent mucosal peptide vaccines administered using the LCP carrier system stimulate protective immune responses against Streptococcus pyogenes infection. Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine, 13 (8), 2463-2474. doi: 10.1016/j.nano.2017.08.015

Bivalent mucosal peptide vaccines administered using the LCP carrier system stimulate protective immune responses against Streptococcus pyogenes infection

2017

Journal Article

The application of self-assembled nanostructures in peptide-based subunit vaccine development

Zhao, Guangzu, Chandrudu, Saranya, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2017). The application of self-assembled nanostructures in peptide-based subunit vaccine development. European Polymer Journal, 93, 670-681. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2017.02.014

The application of self-assembled nanostructures in peptide-based subunit vaccine development

2017

Journal Article

Highly immunogenic trimethyl chitosan-based delivery system for intranasal lipopeptide vaccines against group A streptococcus

Marasini, Nirmal, Ghaffar, Khairunnisa Abdul, Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2017). Highly immunogenic trimethyl chitosan-based delivery system for intranasal lipopeptide vaccines against group A streptococcus. Current Drug Delivery, 14 (5), 701-708. doi: 10.2174/1567201813666160721141322

Highly immunogenic trimethyl chitosan-based delivery system for intranasal lipopeptide vaccines against group A streptococcus

2017

Journal Article

Development and delivery of a peptide-based vaccine against group A Streptococcus

Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2017). Development and delivery of a peptide-based vaccine against group A Streptococcus. Infectious Diseases Hub.

Development and delivery of a peptide-based vaccine against group A Streptococcus

2017

Journal Article

Fluorinated lipids conjugated to peptide antigens do not induce immune responses against cervical cancer

Hussein, Waleed M., Mukaida, Saori, Liu, Tzu-Yu, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2017). Fluorinated lipids conjugated to peptide antigens do not induce immune responses against cervical cancer. Vaccination Research Open Journal, 1 (1), 39-44. doi: 10.17140/VROJ-1-107

Fluorinated lipids conjugated to peptide antigens do not induce immune responses against cervical cancer

2017

Journal Article

Intranasal delivery of nanoparticle-based vaccines

Marasini, Nirmal, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2017). Intranasal delivery of nanoparticle-based vaccines. Therapeutic Delivery, 8 (3), 151-167. doi: 10.4155/tde-2016-0068

Intranasal delivery of nanoparticle-based vaccines

2017

Journal Article

Comparison of fluorinated and nonfluorinated lipids in self-adjuvanting delivery systems for peptide-based vaccines

Hussein, Waleed M., Mukaida, Saori, Azmi, Fazren, Bartlett, Stacey, Olivier, Celine, Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2017). Comparison of fluorinated and nonfluorinated lipids in self-adjuvanting delivery systems for peptide-based vaccines. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 8 (2), 227-232. doi: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.6b00453

Comparison of fluorinated and nonfluorinated lipids in self-adjuvanting delivery systems for peptide-based vaccines

2017

Journal Article

Poly-L-lysine-coated nanoparticles are ineffective in inducing mucosal immunity against group a streptococcus

Marasini, Nirmal, Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Batzloff, Michael R. , Good, Michael F. , Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2017). Poly-L-lysine-coated nanoparticles are ineffective in inducing mucosal immunity against group a streptococcus. Biochemical Compounds, 5 (1), 1.1-1.6. doi: 10.7243/2052-9341-5-1

Poly-L-lysine-coated nanoparticles are ineffective in inducing mucosal immunity against group a streptococcus

2017

Journal Article

The role of size in development of mucosal liposome-lipopeptide vaccine candidates against group A streptococcus

Ghaffar, Khairunnisa Abdul, Marasini, Nirmal, Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2017). The role of size in development of mucosal liposome-lipopeptide vaccine candidates against group A streptococcus. Medicinal Chemistry, 13 (1), 22-27. doi: 10.2174/1573406412666160720093138

The role of size in development of mucosal liposome-lipopeptide vaccine candidates against group A streptococcus

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

    Polymers and peptides for vaccine delivery.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development of silver nanoparticles as novel adjuvants in vaccine

    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

    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

    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

  • 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

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski directly for media enquiries about:

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

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au