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Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski
Associate Professor

Mariusz Skwarczynski

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 69894

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

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).

Works

Search Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski’s works on UQ eSpace

212 works between 1995 and 2026

141 - 160 of 212 works

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

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

2014

Conference Publication

Synthesis of therapeutic vaccine against cervical cancer

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Liu, Tzu-Yu, Hussein, Waleed M., Jia, Zhongfan, Ziora, Zyta M., McMillan, Nigel A. J., Monteiro, Michael J. and Toth, Istvan (2014). Synthesis of therapeutic vaccine against cervical cancer. 4th Asia-Pacific International Peptide Symposium in conjunction with 50th Japanese Peptide Symposium, Osaka, Japan, 6-8 November 2013. Osaka, Japan: Japanese Peptide Society.

Synthesis of therapeutic vaccine against cervical cancer

2014

Journal Article

Self-assembled peptide-polymer conjugates as vaccines

Liu, Tzu-Yu, Fuaad, Abdullah Al-Hadi Ahmad, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2014). Self-assembled peptide-polymer conjugates as vaccines. Chimica Oggi - Chemistry Today, 32 (2 (Supplement)), 18-22.

Self-assembled peptide-polymer conjugates as vaccines

2014

Journal Article

Polymer–peptide hybrids as a highly immunogenic single-dose nanovaccine

Ahmad Fuaad, Abdullah A. H., Jia, Zhongfan, Hartas, Jon, Ziora, Zyta M., Lin, I-Chun, Moyle, Peter M., Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F., Monteiro, Michael J., Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2014). Polymer–peptide hybrids as a highly immunogenic single-dose nanovaccine. Nanomedicine, 9 (1), 35-43. doi: 10.2217/NNM.13.7

Polymer–peptide hybrids as a highly immunogenic single-dose nanovaccine

2014

Journal Article

Lipid core peptide targeting the cathepsin D hemoglobinase of Schistosoma mansoni as a component of a schistosomiasis vaccine

Dougall, Annette M., Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Khoshnejad, Makan, Chandrudu, Saranya, Daly, Norelle L., Toth, Istvan and Loukas, Alex (2014). Lipid core peptide targeting the cathepsin D hemoglobinase of Schistosoma mansoni as a component of a schistosomiasis vaccine. Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 10 (2), 399-409. doi: 10.4161/hv.27057

Lipid core peptide targeting the cathepsin D hemoglobinase of Schistosoma mansoni as a component of a schistosomiasis vaccine

2014

Journal Article

The immune system likes nanotechnology

Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2014). The immune system likes nanotechnology. Nanomedicine, 9 (17), 2607-2609. doi: 10.2217/nnm.14.199

The immune system likes nanotechnology

2013

Journal Article

Feherje alapu vedooltasok nanotechnologiaval

Toth, Istvan, Zaman, Mehfuz and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2013). Feherje alapu vedooltasok nanotechnologiaval. Termézet Világa, 144 (11), 504-508.

Feherje alapu vedooltasok nanotechnologiaval

2013

Journal Article

Self-adjuvanting polymer-peptide conjugates as therapeutic vaccine candidates against cervical cancer

Liu, Tzu-Yu, Hussein, Waleed M., Jia, Zhongfan, Ziora, Zyta M., McMillan, Nigel A. J., Monteiro, Michael J., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2013). Self-adjuvanting polymer-peptide conjugates as therapeutic vaccine candidates against cervical cancer. Biomacromolecules, 14 (8), 2798-2806. doi: 10.1021/bm400626w

Self-adjuvanting polymer-peptide conjugates as therapeutic vaccine candidates against cervical cancer

2013

Journal Article

pH-Triggered peptide self-assembly into fibrils: a potential peptide-based subunit vaccine delivery platform

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Kowapradit, Jariya, Ziora, Zyta Maria and Toth, Istvan (2013). pH-Triggered peptide self-assembly into fibrils: a potential peptide-based subunit vaccine delivery platform. Biochemical Compounds, 1. doi: 10.7243/2052-9341-1-2

pH-Triggered peptide self-assembly into fibrils: a potential peptide-based subunit vaccine delivery platform

2013

Journal Article

M-protein-derived conformational peptide epitope vaccine candidate against Group A Streptococcus

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Kamaruzaman, Khairul A., Srinivasan, Saranya, Zaman, Mehfuz, Lin, I-Chun, Batzloff, Michael R., Good, Michael F. and Toth, Istvan (2013). M-protein-derived conformational peptide epitope vaccine candidate against Group A Streptococcus. Current Drug Delivery, 10 (1), 39-45. doi: 10.2174/1567201811310010007

M-protein-derived conformational peptide epitope vaccine candidate against Group A Streptococcus

2013

Journal Article

Liposome-based delivery system for vaccine candidates: constructing an effective formulation (vol 7, pg 1877, 2012)

Giddam, Ashwini Kumar, Zaman, Mehfuz, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Toth, Istvan (2013). Liposome-based delivery system for vaccine candidates: constructing an effective formulation (vol 7, pg 1877, 2012). Nanomedicine, 8 (2), 312-312. doi: 10.2217/nnm.13.0

Liposome-based delivery system for vaccine candidates: constructing an effective formulation (vol 7, pg 1877, 2012)

2013

Book Chapter

Lipo-peptides/saccharides in peptide vaccine delivery

Skwarczynskim, Mariusz, Zaman, Mehfuz and Toth, Istvan (2013). Lipo-peptides/saccharides in peptide vaccine delivery. Handbook of biologically active peptides. (pp. 571-579) edited by Abba J. Kastin. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Academic Press/Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-385095-9.00078-6

Lipo-peptides/saccharides in peptide vaccine delivery

2013

Journal Article

Microwave-assisted synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides using the isopeptide method

Hussein, Waleed M., Liu, Tzu-Yu, Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2013). Microwave-assisted synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides using the isopeptide method. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 11 (14), 2370-2376. doi: 10.1039/c3ob00030c

Microwave-assisted synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides using the isopeptide method

Funding

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

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

  • 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

Media

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