2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for three for ‘capturing life in atomic detail’

Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson share the Nobel prize for developing cryo-electron microscopy.

Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing cryo-electron microscopy, which simplifies and improves the imaging of biomolecules.

“This method has moved biochemistry into a new era,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement on Wednesday awarding the 9 million Swedish crown ($1.1 million) prize.

Scientific background on the 2017 #NobelPrize in Chemistry "The development of cryo-electron microscopy": https://t.co/K20ncnqoOW

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 4, 2017

 

“Researchers can now freeze biomolecules mid-movement and visualise processes they have never previously seen, which is decisive for both the basic understanding of life's chemistry and for the development of pharmaceuticals.”

Cryo-EM makes it possible to portray biomolecules after freezing them very fast (vitrification method) so its natural shape is preserved. pic.twitter.com/SXgeAVUk24

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 4, 2017

 

Chemistry is the third of this year’s Nobel Prizes.

This year’s Medicine Prize  went to three Americans studying circadian rhythms — Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young.

The  Physics Prize  went to Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip Thorne for detecting gravitational waves.

The literature winner will be named on October 5 and the Peace Prize will be announced on October 6.

(With inputs from Reuters, AP)