A team of researchers working to save the Tasmanian devil from extinction have had their hard work recognised, taking out the top prize for Environmental Research at the 2011 Eureka awards.

A team of researchers working to save the Tasmanian devil from extinction have had their hard work recognised, taking out the top prize for Environmental Research at the 2011 Eureka awards.

The 'Devils Advocates' team, co-lead by Associate Professor Greg Woods from Menzies Research Institute Tasmania and Dr Menna Jones from the UTAS School of Zoology as well as scientists from the University of Sydney, Griffith University and Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, was presented with the $10,000 Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research at a gala dinner in Sydney on September 6.

The annual Eureka Prizes, presented by the Australian Museum, honour Australia's brightest minds in science research and innovation, journalism and communications, and leadership.

The judging panel praised the research team for its "brilliance and tireless dedication".

Associate Professor Woods said that the collaborative nature of the team would have appealed to the Eureka judges. "We have people from different backgrounds working together with the one object in mind - to save the devil. So we've got genetics, ecology, immunology ... a whole range of disciplines represented."

"The awards night itself was "pretty humbling". "You don't go into science to win awards but it is nice to get recognition. When our names were called out we were numb for a couple of seconds, and in fact had to be told, "Hurry up - you need to be on stage!"

The team is taking a multifaceted approach to solving the problem of the DFTD.

"Our contribution to the Save the Devil Program is to understand why the devil's immune system fails to protect against the deadly Devil Facial Tumour Disease. We have made substantial advances in this direction and have provided convincing evidence that the devil has an effective immune system," Associate Professor Woods said.

"Now the challenge is to build on this knowledge and to develop strategies (e.g. a vaccine) that could protect this species."

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