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SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN) today announced that it will issue financial results for the first fiscal quarter 2013 following the close of market on Monday, November 5, 2012.

The Company will also host a conference call on Monday, November 5, 2012 at 4:30 P.M. Eastern to review the financial results. Participating on the call will be: Peter Meldrum, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Capone, President of Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc. and Jim Evans, Chief Financial Officer.

To listen to the call, interested parties may dial 800-354-6885 or 303-223-2680. All callers will be asked to reference reservation number 21607424.

The conference call will also be available through a live webcast at http://www.myriad.com.

A replay of the call will be available two hours after the end of the call for seven days and may be accessed by dialing 800-633-8284 or 402-977-9140 and entering reservation number 21607424.

About Myriad Genetics

Myriad Genetics is a leading molecular diagnostic company dedicated to making a difference in patient's lives through the discovery and commercialization of transformative tests to assess a person's risk of developing disease, guide treatment decisions and assess risk of disease progression and recurrence. Myriad's portfolio of molecular diagnostic tests are based on an understanding of the role genes play in human disease and were developed with a commitment to improving an individual's decision making process for monitoring and treating disease. Myriad is focused on strategic directives to introduce new products, including companion diagnostics, as well as expanding internationally. For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company's website: http://www.myriad.com

Myriad, the Myriad logo, BRACAnalysis, Colaris, Colaris AP, Melaris, TheraGuide, Prezeon, OnDose, Panexia and Prolaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. in the United States and foreign countries. MYGN-F, MYGN-G

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Myriad Genetics to Announce First Fiscal Quarter 2013 Results on Monday, November 5, 2012

Public release date: 15-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Phyllis Edelman pedelman@genetics-gsa.org 301-634-7302 Genetics Society of America

BETHESDA, MD -- October 15, 2012 -- The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce its 2013 award recipients. The five individuals honored are recognized by their peers for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the community of geneticists. They will receive their awards at GSA conferences during 2013.

"This year's award winners are an outstanding group of individuals who have all contributed in such powerful ways to the field of genetics in research, in education, and in fostering the genetics community. The GSA awards provide an opportunity for the genetics community as a whole to say a heartfelt thank you and to recognize those whose impressive achievements have advanced the science of genetics," said Phil Heiter, PhD, President of GSA.

The recipients of the 2013 GSA Awards are as follows:

Additional information about each of the awards and the recipients' achievement is listed below.

Recipient: Thomas D. Petes, PhD, Duke University Award: The Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal

Dr. Petes is the Minnie Geller Professor in Genetics in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. He has made seminal research contributions that have furthered the understanding of the mechanisms of DNA damage and repair using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system. His insights into comprehending genome stability and instability extend far beyond this model system, laying the foundation for much of our knowledge about how human cells replicate, protect, repair and combine their chromosomes. This has provided crucial understanding in identifying the gene defects of the most common form of hereditary colon cancer and in other human diseases.

In addition to his scientific achievements, Dr. Petes has mentored numerous outstanding scientists and has been an active member of GSA, having served as both secretary (1995) and president (2002) of the Society. He has been honored by election to the National Academy of Sciences (1999) and as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2005), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2005), and the American Academy of Microbiology (2009).

The Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal is named in honor of Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866), the classical geneticist who was a founder of modern genetics and the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recipient for his studies of Drosophila and "the role played by the chromosome in heredity." The Morgan Medal recognizes genetics researchers whose body of work over their lifetime has substantively added to knowledge in the field and consequently has had great impact on its direction.

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Genetics Society of America announces 2013 award recipients

Walking up the stairs of the Faculty of Medicine, which reminded me of a colonial English Mansion with an imposing regal atmosphere, I finally found the Office of the Dean.

In his spacious office sat Professor Rohan W. Jayasekara, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine who is a pioneer in the field of Medical Genetics in Sri Lanka. He is the person who established the first Human Genetics Unit in the country in 1983. Professor Jayasekara appeared to be extremely affable with a most friendly disposition and he immediately put one at ease. This is his interview with Reminiscences of Gold.

Professor Rohan Jayasekara

I was born in Colombo and had my upbringing in Mount Lavinia. I was the only child in the family. The childhood I spent in the early 50s was a laid back setup where things moved at a leisurely pace. Children got their education but at the same time they enjoyed their childhood. School began at 8.45 am and finished at 3.15 in the afternoon. So after a good breakfast, we went to school with a lunch break of one hour from 12.15pm - 1.15pm. We could even play a cricket match continuing the next day. Classes finished at 3.15 pm and those who wanted to play sports could stay on in the college.

Others came home and played the usual cricket, rugby and football in our garden. All the neighbours were one family. My father was an old Peterite so he sent me to St. Peters. There was strict discipline at St. Peters but at the same time there was a lot of freedom and we had a proper moulding. I owe so much to my old school. The important thing during that era was that we didnt have television. I remember coming to the British Council very regularly because I used to finish two books every week. We developed our reading habits which helped improve our command of the language, explained Jayasekara.

He joined the Faculty of Medicine at the Peradeniya University in 1967 where he spent five years. Those were the best years of my life and it was one of the most beautiful universities in the world. We had a balanced life. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing plays in the Open Arts Theatre. There were very dedicated teachers and there were the likes of Professor Bibile who had musical evenings in their homes. It was an enriching experience. I always felt that the graduates of Peradeniya had a kindred spirit. Maybe because we lived together, ate and drank together, enjoyed, celebrated and cried together. The 1971 JVP insurrection was the only tragic experience we had. Some lost their lives.

Jayasekera joined the Faculty of Medicine as a lecturer in 1974. He left the island in 1977 for his postgraduate studies at the Department of Human Genetics, University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Its a beautiful university town with friendly people. We learnt not only the subject matter but also other character moulding traits: how to communicate with people, how to be polite and how to disagree with people and how to control oneself. I have never seen any British professional throwing tantrums. Not even under the harshest of provocations. I have never seen my boss losing his temper. They had a way about them.

I had a very interesting experience during my stay in England. Besides my Ph.D. certificate, I also have a certificate from the Chief Constable of Northern England, the equivalent of our IGP there because I helped them arrest red handed a gang of car thieves. I used to work on the fourth floor of the Human Genetics Unit from where I could see the car park. One day I looked down at the car park and saw my car there. Fifteen minutes later I noticed that my red car was missing. So I phoned the Police. A week later they came home and knocked on the door and the people in my flat thought that I had committed a crime. My car had been found in Glasgow because some football hooligans had taken it there. It had been full of empty bottles of beer. A few months later, when I was looking down at the car park, I saw some guys trying to open some cars in the car park. I quickly rang the cops, and in five minutes, four panda cars rushed in and they caught the thieves red handed. Then they came up to the fourth floor looking for Dr. J and I identified myself. Three weeks later I got a letter from the Chief of Police saying : we greatly appreciate your action which helped us in arresting the car thieves and breaking a ring of crime that has been going on there. My boss Professor Roberts said: Chum, this is more valuable than your Ph.D. certificate. I felt happy because I did something good for the community.

Jayasekara returned to the island in 1980 having obtained a Ph.D. in Cytogenetics, which was a pioneering field at the time. The study of Human Genetics has far-reaching consequences for the health of any nation. Jayasekara established the first Human Genetics Unit in the country in 1983. When I came back from England, I was determined not to waste my knowledge and skills so I decided to start the unit. With the initial assistance of the WHO, I managed to build it up. Now we have collaborations and link programmes with several institutes abroad. We conduct teaching programmes for other faculties, institutes and colleges.

We have trained five doctors as clinical geneticists. Now it can run on its own and it is quite independent. I dont even have to sight the place because it is running really well. Im blessed with good people. Now there are 30 people in the unit. Our biggest problem is the lack of space and that is the only constraint. We have an abundance of talent. People are enthusiastic and they need to be encouraged and nurtured. Our talent is unmatched anywhere in the world. So my ambition is to see that every main town has a Human Genetics Unit.

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Master-builder of the Human Genetics Unit