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

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

121 - 140 of 205 works

2016

Book Chapter

The use of microwave-assisted solid-phase peptide synthesis and click chemistry for the synthesis of vaccine candidates against hookworm infection

Ahmad Fuaad, Abdullah A. H., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2016). The use of microwave-assisted solid-phase peptide synthesis and click chemistry for the synthesis of vaccine candidates against hookworm infection. Vaccine design: methods and protocols: volume 1: vaccines for human diseases. (pp. 639-653) edited by Thomas, Sunil. New York, NY United States: Springer New York. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3387-7_36

The use of microwave-assisted solid-phase peptide synthesis and click chemistry for the synthesis of vaccine candidates against hookworm infection

2016

Book Chapter

Introduction

Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2016). Introduction. Micro and nanotechnology in vaccine development: micro and nano technologies. (pp. xvii-xviii) edited by Mariusz Skwarczynski and Istvan Toth. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-39981-4.00027-0

Introduction

2015

Journal Article

Combined synthetic and recombinant techniques for the development of lipoprotein-based, self-adjuvanting vaccines targeting human papillomavirus type-16 associated tumors

Moyle, Peter M., Dai, Wei, Liu, Tzu-Yu, Hussein, Waleed M., Maruthayanar, Pirashanthini, Wells, James W., McMillan, Nigel A. J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2015). Combined synthetic and recombinant techniques for the development of lipoprotein-based, self-adjuvanting vaccines targeting human papillomavirus type-16 associated tumors. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 25 (23), 5570-5575. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.10.049

Combined synthetic and recombinant techniques for the development of lipoprotein-based, self-adjuvanting vaccines targeting human papillomavirus type-16 associated tumors

2015

Journal Article

Recent advances in the development of subunit-based RSV vaccines.

Jaberolansar, Noushin, Toth, Istvan, Young, Paul R. and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2015). Recent advances in the development of subunit-based RSV vaccines.. Expert Review of Vaccines, 15 (1), 53-68. doi: 10.1586/14760584.2016.1105134

Recent advances in the development of subunit-based RSV vaccines.

2015

Journal Article

A study on the encapsulation of an occludin lipophilic derivative in liposomal carriers

Cupri, Sarha, Graziano, Adriana C. E., Cardile, Venera, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Toth, Istvan and Pignatello, Rosario (2015). A study on the encapsulation of an occludin lipophilic derivative in liposomal carriers. Journal of Liposome Research, 25 (4), 287-293. doi: 10.3109/08982104.2014.992025

A study on the encapsulation of an occludin lipophilic derivative in liposomal carriers

2015

Journal Article

Back Cover: Lipopeptide Nanoparticles: Development of Vaccines against Hookworm Parasite (ChemMedChem 10/2015)

Fuaad, Abdullah A. H. Ahmad, Pearson, Mark S., Pickering, Darren A., Becker, Luke, Zhao, Guangzu, Loukas, Alex C., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2015). Back Cover: Lipopeptide Nanoparticles: Development of Vaccines against Hookworm Parasite (ChemMedChem 10/2015). ChemMedChem, 10 (10), 1768-1768. doi: 10.1002/cmdc.201500390

Back Cover: Lipopeptide Nanoparticles: Development of Vaccines against Hookworm Parasite (ChemMedChem 10/2015)

2015

Journal Article

Lipopeptide nanoparticles: development of vaccines against hookworm parasite

Fuaad, Abdullah A. H. Ahmad, Pearson, Mark S., Pickering, Darren A., Becker, Luke, Zhao, Guangzu, Loukas, Alex C., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2015). Lipopeptide nanoparticles: development of vaccines against hookworm parasite. ChemMedChem, 10 (10), 1647-1654. doi: 10.1002/cmdc.201500227

Lipopeptide nanoparticles: development of vaccines against hookworm parasite

2015

Journal Article

Levofloxacin and indolicidin for combination antimicrobial therapy

Ghaffar, Khairunnisa Abdul, Hussein, Waleed M., Khalil, Zeinab G., Capon, Robert J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2015). Levofloxacin and indolicidin for combination antimicrobial therapy. Current Drug Delivery, 12 (1), 108-114. doi: 10.2174/1567201811666140910094050

Levofloxacin and indolicidin for combination antimicrobial therapy

2015

Journal Article

The use of a conformational cathepsin D-derived epitope for vaccine development against Schistosoma mansoni

Ahmad Fuaad, Abdullah A. H., Roubille, Romain, Pearson, Mark S., Pickering, Darren A., Loukas, Alex C., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2015). The use of a conformational cathepsin D-derived epitope for vaccine development against Schistosoma mansoni. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 23 (6), 1307-1312. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.01.033

The use of a conformational cathepsin D-derived epitope for vaccine development against Schistosoma mansoni

2015

Journal Article

Polyacrylate-based delivery system for self-adjuvanting anticancer peptide vaccine

Liu, Tzu-Yu, Hussein, Waleed M., Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Jia, Zhongfan, Reiman, Jennifer M., Zaman, Mehfuz, McMillan, Nigel A. J., Good, Michael F., Monteiro, Michael J., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2015). Polyacrylate-based delivery system for self-adjuvanting anticancer peptide vaccine. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 58 (2), 888-896. doi: 10.1021/jm501514h

Polyacrylate-based delivery system for self-adjuvanting anticancer peptide vaccine

2015

Journal Article

Self-assembling lipopeptides with a potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug resistant strains

Azmi, Fazren, Elliott, Alysha G., Khalil, Zeinab G., Hussein, Waleed M., Kavanagh, Angela, Huang, Johnny X., Quezada, Michelle, Blaskovich, Mark A. T., Capon, Robert J., Cooper, Matthew A., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2015). Self-assembling lipopeptides with a potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug resistant strains. Nanomedicine, 10 (22), 3359-3371. doi: 10.2217/nnm.15.137

Self-assembling lipopeptides with a potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug resistant strains

2015

Journal Article

Drug delivery Australia

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Boyd, Ben J and Toth, Istvan (2015). Drug delivery Australia. Current Drug Delivery, 12 (1), 2-2. doi: 10.2174/156720181201150310141415

Drug delivery Australia

2015

Journal Article

Self-adjuvanting therapeutic peptide-based vaccine induce CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in a murine human papillomavirus tumor model

Liu, Tzu-Yu, Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Hussein, Waleed M., Jia, Zhongfan, McMillan, Nigel A. J., Monteiro, Michael J., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2015). Self-adjuvanting therapeutic peptide-based vaccine induce CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in a murine human papillomavirus tumor model. Current Drug Delivery, 12 (1), 3-8. doi: 10.2174/1567201811666141001155729

Self-adjuvanting therapeutic peptide-based vaccine induce CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in a murine human papillomavirus tumor model

2014

Journal Article

Group A Streptococcal vaccine candidate: contribution of epitope to size, antigen presenting cell interaction and immunogenicity

Zaman, Mehfuz, Chandrudu, Saranya, Giddam, Ashwini K., Reiman, Jennifer, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, McPhun, Virginia, Moyle, Peter M., Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F. and Toth, Istvan (2014). Group A Streptococcal vaccine candidate: contribution of epitope to size, antigen presenting cell interaction and immunogenicity. Nanomedicine, 9 (17), 2613-2624. doi: 10.2217/NNM.14.190

Group A Streptococcal vaccine candidate: contribution of epitope to size, antigen presenting cell interaction and immunogenicity

2014

Journal Article

Recent advances in peptide-based subunit nanovaccines

Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2014). Recent advances in peptide-based subunit nanovaccines. Nanomedicine, 9 (17), 2657-2669. doi: 10.2217/nnm.14.187

Recent advances in peptide-based subunit nanovaccines

2014

Journal Article

Self-adjuvanting vaccine against group A streptococcus: application of fibrillized peptide and immunostimulatory lipid as adjuvant

Azmi, Fazren, Ahmad Fuaad, Abdullah Al Hadi, Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2014). Self-adjuvanting vaccine against group A streptococcus: application of fibrillized peptide and immunostimulatory lipid as adjuvant. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 22 (22), 6401-6408. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2014.09.042

Self-adjuvanting vaccine against group A streptococcus: application of fibrillized peptide and immunostimulatory lipid as adjuvant

2014

Journal Article

Oral delivery of nanoparticle-based vaccines

Marasini, Nirmal, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2014). Oral delivery of nanoparticle-based vaccines. Expert Review of Vaccines, Early Online (11), 1361-1376. doi: 10.1586/14760584.2014.936852

Oral delivery of nanoparticle-based vaccines

2014

Journal Article

Liposomes as Nanovaccine Delivery Systems

Ghaffar, Khairunnisa Abdul, Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Zaman, Mehfuz, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2014). Liposomes as Nanovaccine Delivery Systems. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 14 (9), 1194-1208. doi: 10.2174/1568026614666140329232757

Liposomes as Nanovaccine Delivery Systems

2014

Journal Article

Toll-like receptor agonists: a patent review (2011 - 2013)

Hussein, Waleed M., Liu, Tzu-Yu, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2014). Toll-like receptor agonists: a patent review (2011 - 2013). Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents, 24 (4), 453-470. doi: 10.1517/13543776.2014.880691

Toll-like receptor agonists: a patent review (2011 - 2013)

2014

Journal Article

Recent progress in adjuvant discovery for peptide-based subunit vaccines

Azmi, Fazren, Fuaad, Abdullah Al Hadi Ahmad, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2014). Recent progress in adjuvant discovery for peptide-based subunit vaccines. Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 10 (3), 778-796. doi: 10.4161/hv.27332

Recent progress in adjuvant discovery for peptide-based subunit 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

    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

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