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), 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

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 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).

Search Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski’s works on UQ eSpace

212 works between 1995 and 2026
All (212) Book (3) Journal Article (178) Other Outputs (2) Conference Publication (9) Book Chapter (20)

121 - 140 of 212 works

2016

Journal Article

Linear and branched polyacrylates as a delivery platform for peptide-based vaccines

Chandrudu, Saranya, Bartlett, Stacey, Khalil, Zeinab G., Jia, Zhongfan, Hussein, Waleed M., Capon, Robert J., Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F., Monteiro, Michael J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2016). Linear and branched polyacrylates as a delivery platform for peptide-based vaccines. Therapeutic Delivery, 7 (9), 601-609. doi: 10.4155/tde-2016-0037

Linear and branched polyacrylates as a delivery platform for peptide-based vaccines

2016

Journal Article

Short cationic lipopeptides as effective antibacterial agents: design, physicochemical properties and biological evaluation

Azmi, Fazren, Elliott, Alysha G., Marasini, Nirmal, Ramu, Soumya, Ziora, Zyta, Kavanagh, Angela M., Blaskovich, Mark A. T., Cooper, Matthew A., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2016). Short cationic lipopeptides as effective antibacterial agents: design, physicochemical properties and biological evaluation. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 24 (10), 2235-2241. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.03.053

Short cationic lipopeptides as effective antibacterial agents: design, physicochemical properties and biological evaluation

2016

Journal Article

Multilayer engineered nanoliposomes as a novel tool for oral delivery of lipopeptide-based vaccines against group A Streptococcus

Marasini, Nirmal, Giddam, Ashwini K., Ghaffar, Khairunnisa A., Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2016). Multilayer engineered nanoliposomes as a novel tool for oral delivery of lipopeptide-based vaccines against group A Streptococcus. Nanomedicine, 11 (10), 1223-1236. doi: 10.2217/nnm.16.36

Multilayer engineered nanoliposomes as a novel tool for oral delivery of lipopeptide-based vaccines against group A Streptococcus

2016

Journal Article

Liposome-based intranasal Delivery of lipopeptide vaccine candidates against Group A Streptococcus

Ghaffar, Khairunnisa Abdul, Marasini, Nirmal, Giddam, Ashwini K., Batzloff, Michael, Good, Michael, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2016). Liposome-based intranasal Delivery of lipopeptide vaccine candidates against Group A Streptococcus. Acta Biomaterialia, 41, 161-168. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2016.04.012

Liposome-based intranasal Delivery of lipopeptide vaccine candidates against Group A Streptococcus

2016

Journal Article

Peptide-based synthetic vaccines

Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2016). Peptide-based synthetic vaccines. Chemical Science, 7 (2), 842-854. doi: 10.1039/c5sc03892h

Peptide-based synthetic vaccines

2016

Journal Article

Double conjugation strategy to incorporate lipid adjuvants into multiantigenic vaccines

Hussein, Waleed M., Liu, Tzu-Yu, Maruthayanar, Pirashanthini, Mukaida, Saori, Moyle, Peter M., Wells, James W., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2016). Double conjugation strategy to incorporate lipid adjuvants into multiantigenic vaccines. Chemical Science, 7 (3), 2308-2321. doi: 10.1039/C5SC03859F

Double conjugation strategy to incorporate lipid adjuvants into multiantigenic vaccines

2016

Journal Article

Structure-activity relationship of lipid core peptide-based Group A Streptococcus vaccine candidates

Chan, Amy, Hussein, Waleed M., Ghaffar, Khairunnisa Abdul, Marasini, Nirmal, Mostafa, Ahmed, Eskandari, Sharareh, Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2016). Structure-activity relationship of lipid core peptide-based Group A Streptococcus vaccine candidates. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 24 (14), 3095-3101. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.03.063

Structure-activity relationship of lipid core peptide-based Group A Streptococcus vaccine candidates

2016

Journal Article

Synthesis and immunological evaluation of peptide-based vaccine candidates against malaria

Chandrudu, Saranya, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Pattinson, David, Apte, Simon H., Doolan, Denise L. and Toth, Istvan (2016). Synthesis and immunological evaluation of peptide-based vaccine candidates against malaria. Biochemical Compounds, 4 (1). doi: 10.7243/2052-9341-4-1

Synthesis and immunological evaluation of peptide-based vaccine candidates against malaria

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

Current funding

  • 2026 - 2030
    Oral anti-fertility vaccine for population control of invasive rabbits
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 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

Past funding

  • 2024 - 2025
    Single-shot anti-fertility vaccine in pigs
    Australia's Economic Accelerator Seed Grants
    Open grant
  • 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

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Available projects

  • 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.

  • 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

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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