Paul Grbin

Associate Professor Paul Grbin is a Head Winemaker and academic leader within the Department of Wine Science at the University of Adelaide's School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. He holds a faculty position in the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. His research focuses on microbial biotechnology, wine microbiology, and sustainable winemaking processes. Grbin co-leads the Wine Microbiology Group, which operates within the Wine Innovation Cluster (WIC) at the Waite campus, collaborating with partners like AWRI, CSIRO, and SARDI.

His research priorities include optimizing winery wastewater treatment systems, understanding uninoculated wine fermentations, and studying Dekkera/Brettanomyces yeast behavior. Grbin's work is funded by Wine Australia and the Australian Research Council (ARC), emphasizing industry-relevant solutions. He supervises postgraduate students in Masters and PhD programs, contributing to both academic and applied wine science.

Key projects involve microbiological treatment of winery effluent, microbial dynamics in indigenous fermentations, and biochemical pathways of spoilage organisms. His publications span topics like yeast strain evaluation, anthocyanin extraction modeling, and lactic acid bacteria improvement. Grbin's innovations aim to enhance wine quality, reduce environmental impact, and advance fermentation efficiency through interdisciplinary approaches.