04 October 2017 15:26 IST

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.

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“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.”

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)