PNNL

Elisa Biasin joined the experimental Condensed Phase and Interfacial Molecular Science group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2021, and currently investigates the fundamental interactions, dynamics, and reactivity of ionic systems in liquid environments. One of Biasin’s goals is to obtain new fundamental insights into the coupled electronic and structural dynamics of chemical reactions in solution for efficient solar energy conversion. Biasin develops and utilizes advanced X-ray scattering and spectroscopic methods at large scale X-ray light sources, develops data analysis tools, and interprets the data through comparison with state-of-the art computational modeling. She has received a PhD in physics at the Technical University of Denmark, and she is currently based at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California.

E. Biasin studies aqueous solvation, ion reactivity, and photochemical dynamics to advance the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division, Condensed Phase and Interfacial Molecular Science program.

• Molecular and chemical dynamics
• Ultrafast X-ray spectroscopy and scattering methods
• X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy analysis

• PhD in physics, Technical University of Denmark
• MS in physics, University of Padua
• BS in physics, University of Padua

• Affiliate, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
• Past Chair, Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) User Executive Committee

• LCLS Young Investigator Award, 2020

2025

• A. Schori, E. Biasin, A. Banerjee, S. Boutet, P. H. Bucksbaum, S. Carbajo, K. J. Gaffney, J. M. Glownia, R. Hartsock, K. Ledbetter, A. Kaldun, J. E. Koglin, K. Kunnus, T. J. Lane, M. Liang, M. P. Minitti, J. T. O’Neal, R. M. Parrish, F. Poitevin, J. M. Ruddock, S. Nelson, B. Stankus, P. M. Weber, T. J. A. Wolf, M. Odelius and A. Natan, “Real-space observation of the dissociation of a transition metal complex and its concurrent energy redistribution,” Nature Communications 16, 4767 (2025)
• P. Glatzel, E. Biasin, O. Filimonova, and V. Marchuk, “Tender X-Ray Photo-in/Photon-out Spectroscopy,” Synchrotron Radiation News 2025, 38(3), 25–30

2024

• M. Dinpajooh, N. N. Intan, T. T. Duignan, E. Biasin, J. L. Fulton, S. M. Kathmann, G. K. Schenter, C. J. Mundy; J. “Beyond the Debye–Hückel limit: Toward a general theory for concentrated electrolytes”, Chem. Phys. 21 December 2024; 161 (23): 230901
• M. Dinpajooh, E. Biasin, E. T. Nienhuis, S. T. Mergelsberg, C. J. Benmore, G. K. Schenter, J. L. Fulton, S. M. Kathmann, C. J. Mundy; “Detecting underscreening and generalized Kirkwood transitions in aqueous electrolytes”, J. Chem. Phys. 21 October 2024; 161 (15): 151102
• C. B. Larsen, Kathryn Ledbetter, D. R. Nascimento, E. Biasin, M. Qureshi, S. H. Nowak, D. Sokaras, N. Govind, A. A. Cordones “Metal–Ligand Covalency in the Valence Excited States of Metal Dithiolenes Revealed by S 1s3p Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 41, 28561–28571
• A. Kahraman, E. Socie, M. Nazari, D. Kazazis, M. Buldu-Akturk, V. Kabanova, E. Biasin, G. Smolentsev, D. Grolimund, E. Erdem, J. E. Moser, A. Cannizzo, C. Bacellar and C. Milne, J. “Tailoring p-Type Behavior in ZnO Quantum Dots through Enhanced Sol–Gel Synthesis: Mechanistic Insights into Zinc Vacancies,”  Phys. Chem. Lett. 2024, 15, 6, 1755–17642023

2023

• Leshchev D., A. Valentine, P. Kim, A. Mills, S. Roy, A. Chakraborty, and E. Biasin, et al. 2023. "Revealing Excited State Trajectories on Potential Energy Surfaces with Atomic Resolution in Real Time." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 62, no. 28:Art. No. e202304615. PNNL-SA-190998. doi:10.1002/anie.202304615
• Nimmrich A., M. Panman, O. Berntsson, E. Biasin, S. Niebling, J. Petersson, and M. Hoernke, et al. 2023. "Solvent-dependent structural dynamics in the ultrafast photodissociation reaction of triiodide observed with Time-Resolved X-ray Solution Scattering." Journal of the American Chemical Society 149, no. 29:15754-15765. PNNL-SA-190436. doi:10.1021/jacs.3c00484
• Poulter B.I., E. Biasin, S.H. Nowak, T. Kroll, R. Alonso-Mori, R.W. Schoenlein, and N. Govind, et al. 2023. "Uncovering the 3d and 4d Electronic Interactions in Solvated Ru Complexes with 2p3d Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering." Inorganic Chemistry 62, no. 25:9904-9911. PNNL-SA-183151. doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c00919
• Prampolini G., A. Andersen, B.I. Poulter, M.H. Khalil, N. Govind, E. Biasin, and M. Pastore. 2023. "Integrated quantum-classical protocol for the realistic description of solvated multinuclear mixed-valence transition metal complexes and their solvatochromic properties." Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation. PNNL-SA-193018. doi:10.1021/acs.jctc.3c01084
• Reinhard M., A. Gallo, M. Guo, A.T. Garcia-Esparza, E. Biasin, M. Qureshi, and A. Britz, et al. 2023. "Ferricyanide photo-aquation pathway revealed by combined femtosecond Kß main line and valence-to-core x-ray emission spectroscopy." Nature Communications 14. PNNL-SA-190690. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-37922-x
• Weakly R.B., C.E. Liekhus-Schmaltz, B.I. Poulter, E. Biasin, R. Alonso-Mori, A. Aquila, and S. Boutet, et al. 2023. "Revealing core-valence interactions in solution with femtosecond X-ray pump X-ray probe spectroscopy." Nature Communications 14. PNNL-SA-182028. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39165-2

2021

• Biasin E., Z.W. Fox, A. Andersen, K. Ledbetter, K.S. Kjaer, R. Alonso-Mori, and J. Carlstad, et al. 2021. "Direct observation of coherent femtosecond solvent reorganization coupled to intramolecular electron transfer." Nature Chemistry 13. PNNL-SA-153682. doi:10.1038/s41557-020-00629-3

2020

• Poulter B.I., E. Biasin, C.E. Liekhus-Schmaltz, C. Arrell, S. Augustin, C. Cirelli, and A. Cordones-Hahn, et al. 2020. "Ultrafast Charge Transfer and Electron Delocalization in a Cyanide-Bridged Ru-Ru Dimer Investigated with Femtosecond Transient X-Ray and IR Spectroscopies." In International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena, November 16-19, 2020, Washington, DC. OSA Technical Digest, Paper No. Th1A.4. Washington, District Of Columbia:Optical Society of America. PNNL-SA-155150. doi:10.1364/UP.2020.Th1A.4