SALT LAKE CITY, Jun 10, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:MYGN) announced today that it has elected Heiner Dreismann, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors, effective immediately, increasing the size of the Company's board from seven members to eight.

"I am extremely pleased to welcome Heiner as our newest member of the Myriad Board of Directors," said Peter Meldrum, President and Chief Executive Officer of Myriad. "I am certain that his significant breadth of experience in the diagnostic industry and depth of expertise in the field of molecular diagnostics will make an important contribution as we advance our strategy of developing exciting new molecular diagnostic products both in the United States and internationally."

Dr. Dreismann, age 56, is a seasoned executive with more than 24 years of experience in the health care industry, and is regarded as a pioneer in the early adoption of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, one of the most ubiquitous technologies in molecular biology and genetics research today. He had a successful career at the Roche Group from 1985 to 2006 where he held several senior positions, including President and CEO, Roche Molecular Systems, Head of Global Business Development, Roche Diagnostics and Member of Roche's Global Diagnostic Executive Committee. Dr. Dreismann currently serves on the boards of several public and private health care companies. He earned a master of science degree in biology and his doctor of philosophy degree in microbiology/molecular biology (summa cum laude) from Westfaelische Wilhelms University (The University of Munster) in Germany.