COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dr. Cristobal Onetto has joined the Departments of Food Science and Technology and Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) as an assistant professor in enology and fermentation sciences. He will be based on the CFAES Wooster campus starting February 1, 2026.
Dr. Onetto is a microbiologist and enologist with more than fifteen years of experience in the wine industry, blending practical winemaking expertise with applied research in fermentation science. “We are excited to welcome Dr. Cristobal Onetto to our department as a leading scholar in enology and fermentation sciences,” said Dr. Martha Belury, Food Science and Technology department chair.
He earned his PhD in Microbiology from the University of Adelaide, Australia, and has held winemaking roles in Chile, Spain, and Australia. Most recently, Onetto served as a Senior Research Scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), where he led and contributed to numerous industry-focused projects on fermentation performance, microbial ecology, physiology, and genetics.
His work also extended to grapevine genetics and viticultural pathogens. He holds an affiliate lecturing appointment at the University of Adelaide, where he supervises postgraduate students and lectures in winemaking courses.
Onetto’s research centers on microbial interactions in fermentation environments, yeast and bacterial ecology, physiology and genomics, and the microbial factors that influence fermentation performance and the quality of fermented beverages.
“Ohio is a strong agricultural powerhouse that produces a diverse range of fermented beverages, including a growing wine industry,” Onetto said. “Developing a fundamental understanding of these processes is an essential step toward enhancing the quality, stability, and value of Ohio’s fermentation-based industries.”
For more information, Contact: Kelly Elisar elisar.1@osu.edu