Dubochet started to study physics at the École polytechnique de l'Université de Lausanne (now École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) in 1962 and obtained his degree in physical engineering in 1967.
He obtained a Certificate of Molecular Biology at University of Geneva in 1969 and then began to study electron microscopy of DNA.
In 1973, he completed his thesis in biophysics at University of Geneva and University of Basel.

From 1978 to 1987, Jacques Dubochet was group leader at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, then part of West Germany.
From 1987 to 2007, he was professor at the University of Lausanne.
In 2007, at 65 years old, he retired and became an honorary professor at the University of Lausanne.

During his career, Jacques Dubochet developed technologies in cryo-electron microscopy, cryo-electron tomography and cryo-electron microscopy of vitreous sections.
These technologies are used to image individual biological structures such as protein complexes or virus particles.
At Lausanne he took part in initiatives to make scientists more aware of social issues.

In 2014, Jacques Dubochet received EMBL's Lennart Philipson Award.
Describing his career in 2015, Professor Gareth Griffiths, his colleague at EMBL explained: "Jacques had a vision.
He found a way of freezing thin films of water so fast that crystals had no time to form [that could damage samples] [...] over time the technique has become increasingly important to life science research, and it is clear today it is Nobel Prize-worthy."

When asked by his university how he would like his Nobel Prize to be recognised by the institution he asked for a parking space for his bicycle which was duly given.
He had cycled to his lab almost every day for 30 years.
Dubochet started to study physics at the École polytechnique de l'Université de Lausanne (now École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) in 1962 and obtained his degree in physical engineering in 1967. He obtained a Certificate of Molecular Biology at University of Geneva in 1969 and then began to study electron microscopy of DNA. In 1973, he completed his thesis in biophysics at University of Geneva and University of Basel.
From 1978 to 1987, Jacques Dubochet was group leader at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, then part of West Germany. From 1987 to 2007, he was professor at the University of Lausanne. In 2007, at 65 years old, he retired and became an honorary professor at the University of Lausanne.
During his career, Jacques Dubochet developed technologies in cryo-electron microscopy, cryo-electron tomography and cryo-electron microscopy of vitreous sections. These technologies are used to image individual biological structures such as protein complexes or virus particles. At Lausanne he took part in initiatives to make scientists more aware of social issues.
In 2014, Jacques Dubochet received EMBL's Lennart Philipson Award. Describing his career in 2015, Professor Gareth Griffiths, his colleague at EMBL explained: "Jacques had a vision. He found a way of freezing thin films of water so fast that crystals had no time to form [that could damage samples] [...] over time the technique has become increasingly important to life science research, and it is clear today it is Nobel Prize-worthy."
When asked by his university how he would like his Nobel Prize to be recognised by the institution he asked for a parking space for his bicycle which was duly given. He had cycled to his lab almost every day for 30 years.
Jacques Dubochet