We are pleased to announce that Dr. Cristobal Onetto will begin a new joint appointment in the Department of Food Science and Technology (FST) and the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science (HCS) in January 2026! He will serve as an Assistant Professor in enology and fermentation sciences. Both departments are excited for Dr. Onetto's appointment.
Dr. Martha Belury, Chair of Food Science and Technology, shared, “we are excited to welcome Dr. Cristobal Onetto to our department as a leading scholar in enology and fermentation sciences." Echoing that sentiment, Dr. Doug Karcher, Chair of Horticulture and Crop Science, expressed, “we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Onetto to our faculty team. His impressive credentials and global experience in enology and fermentation sciences will be instrumental in advancing research that supports Ohio’s growing wine industry. This appointment reflects our commitment to fostering innovation and strengthening connections with local producers.”
Dr. Onetto earned his Ph.D. in Wine Microbiology & Biotechnology from the University of Adelaide in Australia. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Dr. Onetto received his M.S. in Plant Sciences - Viticulture & Oenology at Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Chile and has held winemaking positions in Chile, Spain, and Australia. With more than fifteen years in the wine industry, he combines hands-on winemaking experience with applied research in fermentation science. Dr. Onetto is currently researching several key areas within agricultural and fermentation biology. This includes leading a project to decipher the complex interactions between yeast and bacteria in fermentative environments, and contributing to the development of innovative, non-GMO CRISPR-edited yeast strains. Furthermore, he is a key contributor to large-scale genomics projects, specifically by analyzing over 1000 grapevine genomes to capture the genetic diversity of Vitis vinifera in Australia.
In Dr. Onetto's inital year here, his research will center on microbial interactions in fermentation environments, the ecology, physiology, and genomics of yeast and bacteria, and the microbial factors that shape fermentation performance and the quality of fermented beverages. As Dr. Onetto noted, “building a fundamental understanding of these processes is a crucial step toward improving the quality, stability, and value of Ohio’s fermentation-based industries.”
We are very excited to bring Dr. Onetto on board for this unique position! Luckily enough, he spared a minute to tell us about this career step from his perspective...
What are you most looking forward to about this next step in your career?
I am very excited about everything that comes with becoming an academic, mentoring students, carrying out research at the highest level, and satisfying my scientific curiosity while exploring questions that help us understand fundamental aspects of biology. I’m also looking forward to being surrounded by world experts not only in food and horticultural sciences, but across many different disciplines at OSU. I can’t wait to learn new skills from the people around me and to build collaborations that lead to new discoveries.
I also want to connect with the local fermentation-based industries in Ohio and support them through applied research and extension. Although I’ve been highly involved with industry in my previous role, the Ohio wine industry is actively growing, and the unique cultivars and conditions in this region offer a completely fresh perspective compared to more conventional winemaking areas. I see this as a great opportunity to develop new research directions in enology and fermentation.
Could you give us an overview of the rough career path that brought you to this new role?
I completed my undergraduate and Master’s degrees at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, a university with a strong agriculture and winemaking program. After that, I made wine around the world before moving to Australia to pursue a PhD and later join the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) as a scientist.
What initially sparked your interest in enology and fermentation?
I was fortunate during my undergraduate studies to be surrounded by very passionate professors from the enology department. Their enthusiasm really sparked my interest in wine, science, and the microbiology of fermentation. Since then, I’ve been hooked, yeasts and bacteria continue to amaze me, especially their long standing connection with human development. Becoming an academic has always felt like the natural next step, largely because I want to dig deeper into the scientific questions that emerge through research.
What have been a few highlights of your career so far?
A major highlight has been the opportunity to work at the Australian Wine Research Institute. It’s an incredible environment where world experts across all areas of wine science work together. Spending eight years there and learning from outstanding scientists and mentors has been the most rewarding part of my career so far.
Could you briefly touch on some of your initial plans for your 1st year in this role?
In my first year I plan to build links with the enology and viticulture team and faculty across FST and HCS as well as understand the needs of the local industries. I’ll also focus on getting the wine lab fully operational to run fermentation experiments, with everything prepared ahead of the next vintage. I hope also to recruit a motivated student who shares my interests in fermentation science.
What are you most excited about seeing happen in HCS this year?
I’m very excited to become part of the wine and viticulture group and to start collaborating closely with the team.
What’s your favorite industry conference?
I really enjoy the International Congress on Grapevine and Wine Sciences. It covers a wide range of wine science disciplines and also includes industry participation.
Do you currently have any industry international involvement?
I maintain active collaborations with Australia, Adelaide University and the AWRI.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I’m a fungi aficionado, so you’ll often find me in the forest looking for unusual mushrooms. I also enjoy hiking, rock climbing, and playing tennis.
We're so enthusiastic that Dr. Onetto has decided to take on this joint appointment and bridge two unique disciplines and hope you'll join us in welcoming him!