Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski
Associate Professor

Mariusz Skwarczynski

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+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)

181 - 200 of 205 works

2009

Journal Article

Design and synthesis of lipopeptide-carbohydrate assembled multivalent vaccine candidates using native chemical ligation

Zhong, Wei, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Fujita, Yoshio, Simerska, Pavla, Good, Michael F. and Toth, Istvan (2009). Design and synthesis of lipopeptide-carbohydrate assembled multivalent vaccine candidates using native chemical ligation. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 62 (9), 993-999. doi: 10.1071/CH09065

Design and synthesis of lipopeptide-carbohydrate assembled multivalent vaccine candidates using native chemical ligation

2008

Journal Article

Controlled production of amyloid beta peptide from a photo-triggered, water-soluble precursor "click peptide"

Taniguchi, Atsuhiko, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Sohma, Youhei, Okada, Takuma, Ikeda, Keisuke, Prakash, Halan, Mukai, Hidehito, Hayashi, Yoshio, Kimura, Tooru, Hirota, Shun, Matsuzaki, Katsumi and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2008). Controlled production of amyloid beta peptide from a photo-triggered, water-soluble precursor "click peptide". ChemBioChem, 9 (18), 3055-3065. doi: 10.1002/cbic.200800503

Controlled production of amyloid beta peptide from a photo-triggered, water-soluble precursor "click peptide"

2008

Journal Article

Development of novel water-soluble photocleavable protective group and its application for design of photoresponsive paclitaxel prodrugs

Noguchi, Mayo, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Prakash, Halan, Hirota, Shun, Kimura, Tooru, Hayashi, Yoshio and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2008). Development of novel water-soluble photocleavable protective group and its application for design of photoresponsive paclitaxel prodrugs. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 16 (10), 5389-5397. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2008.04.022

Development of novel water-soluble photocleavable protective group and its application for design of photoresponsive paclitaxel prodrugs

2007

Journal Article

Application of the O-N intramolecular acyl migration reaction in medicinal chemistry

Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2007). Application of the O-N intramolecular acyl migration reaction in medicinal chemistry. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 14 (26), 2813-2823. doi: 10.2174/092986707782360123

Application of the O-N intramolecular acyl migration reaction in medicinal chemistry

2007

Conference Publication

Synthesis of a Novel Water-Soluble Paclitaxel Prodrug, Arginine-Isotaxel, and its Physicochemical and Caco-2 Transport Properties

Suehisa, Y., Noguchi, M., Skwarczynski, M., Yamamoto, A., Kiso, Y., Hayashi, Y. and Fujita, T. (2007). Synthesis of a Novel Water-Soluble Paclitaxel Prodrug, Arginine-Isotaxel, and its Physicochemical and Caco-2 Transport Properties. 8th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Study of Xenobiotics, Sendai, Japan, 9-12 October 2007. PHILADELPHIA: Informa Healthcare.

Synthesis of a Novel Water-Soluble Paclitaxel Prodrug, Arginine-Isotaxel, and its Physicochemical and Caco-2 Transport Properties

2007

Journal Article

The synthesis of bioactive peptides based on O-Acyl Isopeptide Method: Application of O-acyl isodipeptide units

Abe, Naoko, Fukao, Fukue, Hayashi, Yoshio, Ito, Nui, Kimura, Tooru, Kiso, Yoshiaki, Nakamura, Setsuko, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Sohma, Youhei, Taniguchi, Atsuhiko and Yoshiya, Taku (2007). The synthesis of bioactive peptides based on O-Acyl Isopeptide Method: Application of O-acyl isodipeptide units. Peptide Science: Proceedings of the Japanese Peptide Symposium, 44, 187-190.

The synthesis of bioactive peptides based on O-Acyl Isopeptide Method: Application of O-acyl isodipeptide units

2007

Journal Article

"O-acyl isopeptide method" for peptide synthesis: Synthesis of forty kinds of "O-acyl isodipeptide unit" Boc-Ser/Thr(Fmoc-Xaa)-OH

Yoshiya, Taku, Taniguchi, Atsuhiko, Sohma, Youhei, Fukao, Fukue, Nakamura, Setsuko, Abe, Naoko, Ito, Nui, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Kimura, Tooru, Hayashi, Yoshio and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2007). "O-acyl isopeptide method" for peptide synthesis: Synthesis of forty kinds of "O-acyl isodipeptide unit" Boc-Ser/Thr(Fmoc-Xaa)-OH. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 5 (11), 1720-1730. doi: 10.1039/b702284k

"O-acyl isopeptide method" for peptide synthesis: Synthesis of forty kinds of "O-acyl isodipeptide unit" Boc-Ser/Thr(Fmoc-Xaa)-OH

2007

Conference Publication

Development of new photoresponsive paclitaxel prodrug

Noguchi, Mayo, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Prakash, Halan, Hirota, Shun, Kimura, Tooru, Hayashi, Yoshio and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2007). Development of new photoresponsive paclitaxel prodrug. 第４４回 ペプチド討論会 (44th Japanese Peptide Symposium), Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, 7-9 November 2007. Osaka, Japan: Protein Research Foundation.

Development of new photoresponsive paclitaxel prodrug

2006

Journal Article

Paclitaxel prodrugs: Toward smarter delivery of anticancer agents

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Hayashi, Yoshio and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2006). Paclitaxel prodrugs: Toward smarter delivery of anticancer agents. J. Med. Chem., 49 (25), 7253-7269. doi: 10.1021/jm0602155

Paclitaxel prodrugs: Toward smarter delivery of anticancer agents

2006

Journal Article

'Click peptide': A novel 'O-acyl isopeptide method' for peptide synthesis and chemical biology-oriented synthesis of amyloid beta peptide analogues

Sohma, Youhei, Taniguchi, Atsuhiko, Yoshiya, Taku, Chiyomori, Yousuke, Fukao, Fukue, Nakamura, Setsuko, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Okada, Takuma, Ikeda, Keisuke, Hayashi, Yoshio, Kimura, Tooru, Hirota, Shun, Matsuzaki, Katsumi and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2006). 'Click peptide': A novel 'O-acyl isopeptide method' for peptide synthesis and chemical biology-oriented synthesis of amyloid beta peptide analogues. Journal of Peptide Science, 12 (12), 823-828. doi: 10.1002/psc.817

'Click peptide': A novel 'O-acyl isopeptide method' for peptide synthesis and chemical biology-oriented synthesis of amyloid beta peptide analogues

2006

Journal Article

Application of intramolecular carbonate-carbamate migration

Skwarczynski, M., Noguchi, M., Sohma, Y., Kimura, T., Hayashi, Y. and Kiso, Y. (2006). Application of intramolecular carbonate-carbamate migration. Chimica Oggi, 24 (6), 30-32.

Application of intramolecular carbonate-carbamate migration

2006

Journal Article

Development of first photoresponsive prodrug of paclitaxel

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Noguchi, Mayo, Hirota. Shun, Sohma, Youhei, Kimura, Tooru, Hayashi, Yoshio and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2006). Development of first photoresponsive prodrug of paclitaxel. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 16 (17), 4492-4496. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2006.06.030

Development of first photoresponsive prodrug of paclitaxel

2006

Journal Article

'O-Acyl isopeptide method' for the efficient synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides: Use of 'O-acyl isodipeptide unit'

Sohma, Youhei, Taniguchi, Atsuhiko, Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Yoshiya, Taku, Fukao, Fukue, Kimura, Tooru, Hayashi, Yoshio and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2006). 'O-Acyl isopeptide method' for the efficient synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides: Use of 'O-acyl isodipeptide unit'. Tetrahedron Letters, 47 (18), 3013-3017. doi: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2006.03.017

'O-Acyl isopeptide method' for the efficient synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides: Use of 'O-acyl isodipeptide unit'

2006

Journal Article

O-N intramolecular alkoxycarbonyl migration of typical protective groups in hydroxyamino acids

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Sohma, Youhei, Noguchi, Mayo, Kimura, Tooru, Hayashi, Yoshio and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2006). O-N intramolecular alkoxycarbonyl migration of typical protective groups in hydroxyamino acids. Journal of Organic Chemistry, 71 (6), 2542-2545. doi: 10.1021/jo0525579

O-N intramolecular alkoxycarbonyl migration of typical protective groups in hydroxyamino acids

2005

Journal Article

No auxiliary, no byproduct strategy for water-soluble prodrugs of taxoids: Scope and limitation of O-N intramolecular acyl and acyloxy migration reactions

Skwarczynski, Mariusz, Sohma, Youhei, Noguchi, Mayo, Kimura, Maiko, Hayashi, Yoshio, Hamada, Yoshio, Kimura, Tooru and Kiso, Yoshiaki (2005). No auxiliary, no byproduct strategy for water-soluble prodrugs of taxoids: Scope and limitation of O-N intramolecular acyl and acyloxy migration reactions. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 48 (7), 2655-2666. doi: 10.1021/jm049344g

No auxiliary, no byproduct strategy for water-soluble prodrugs of taxoids: Scope and limitation of O-N intramolecular acyl and acyloxy migration reactions

2004

Conference Publication

O-N intramolecular acyl migration reaction in the development of prodrugs and the synthesis of difficult sequence-containing bioactive peptides

Sohma, Y, Hayashi, Y, Skwarczynski, M, Hamada, Y, Sasaki, M, Kimura, T and Kiso, Y (2004). O-N intramolecular acyl migration reaction in the development of prodrugs and the synthesis of difficult sequence-containing bioactive peptides. 9th Naples Workshop on Bioactive Peptides, Naples Italy, May 08-11, 2004. MALDEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL. doi: 10.1002/bip.20136

O-N intramolecular acyl migration reaction in the development of prodrugs and the synthesis of difficult sequence-containing bioactive peptides

2003

Journal Article

O-N intramolecular acyl migration strategy in water-soluble prodrugs of taxoids

Skwarczynski, M, Sohma, Y, Kimura, M, Hayashi, Y, Kimura, T and Kiso, Y (2003). O-N intramolecular acyl migration strategy in water-soluble prodrugs of taxoids. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 13 (24), 4441-4444. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2003.09.020

O-N intramolecular acyl migration strategy in water-soluble prodrugs of taxoids

2003

Journal Article

A novel approach of water-soluble paclitaxel prodrug with no auxiliary and no byproduct: Design and synthesis of isotaxel

Hayashi, Y, Skwarczynski, M, Hamada, Y, Sohma, Y, Kimura, T and Kiso, Y (2003). A novel approach of water-soluble paclitaxel prodrug with no auxiliary and no byproduct: Design and synthesis of isotaxel. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 46 (18), 3782-3784. doi: 10.1021/jm034112n

A novel approach of water-soluble paclitaxel prodrug with no auxiliary and no byproduct: Design and synthesis of isotaxel

2003

Journal Article

Mercuric triflate catalyzed hydroxylative carbocyclization of 1,6-enynes

Nishizawa, M, Yadav, VK, Skwarczynski, M, Takao, H, Imagawa, H and Sugihara, T (2003). Mercuric triflate catalyzed hydroxylative carbocyclization of 1,6-enynes. Organic Letters, 5 (10), 1609-1611. doi: 10.1021/ol034201u

Mercuric triflate catalyzed hydroxylative carbocyclization of 1,6-enynes

2002

Journal Article

Mercuric triflate-TMU catalyzed hydration of terminal alkyne to give methyl ketone under mild conditions

Nishizawa, M, Skwarczynski, M, Imagawa, H and Sugihara, T (2002). Mercuric triflate-TMU catalyzed hydration of terminal alkyne to give methyl ketone under mild conditions. Chemistry Letters, 31 (1), 12-13. doi: 10.1246/cl.2002.12

Mercuric triflate-TMU catalyzed hydration of terminal alkyne to give methyl ketone under mild conditions

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

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • 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

    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

    A nanovaccine against Invasive Group A Streptococcus and Rheumatic Heart Disease

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rachel Stephenson, 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

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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