Professor Rick Shine became an expert on the invasive amphibians after his snake research site on the Adelaide River floodplain near Darwin was overrun by cane toads a decade ago.

Professor Shine was stunned to have won the coveted Prime Minister's Prize award, which his brother, molecular biologist John Shine, also won in 2010.

The prize was award to Professor Shine in recognition of his work to ensure northern Australia's peak predators are more likely to survive the cane toad invasion.