Exhibit 99

                                     [LOGO]

Contact:
Rod Hise
(608) 663-4010
investor@twt.com

For Immediate Release

          Lawrence J. Murphy Appointed to Third Wave Board of Directors

MADISON,  Wis., Jan. 18, 2006--Third Wave Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: TWTI) today
announced that Lawrence J. Murphy has joined the company's board of directors.

      Mr.  Murphy,  63,  brings  to Third  Wave's  board  more  than 30 years of
business  experience  in  strategic  partnerships,   mergers  and  acquisitions,
operations, finance, law and administration.

      Mr.  Murphy  has  been an  independent  business  consultant  since  1997,
providing  strategic  business  counsel across a broad range of issues,  with an
emphasis on mergers and acquisitions. He has served as the lead business advisor
on significant  transactions  for his clients,  including  Jabil Circuit Inc., a
publicly-held  (NYSE) global  electronics  manufacturing  service  company whose
customers include Nokia,  Cisco Systems,  Hewlett-Packard  and Philips.  Jabil's
total  revenues  have grown from  approximately  $975  million,  when Mr. Murphy
became a consultant  to the company,  to more than $7 billion in fiscal 2005. He
has served as a director  of the  company  since 1989,  when its  revenues  were
approximately $100 million.

      Prior to  establishing  his  consulting  business,  Mr.  Murphy  served as
executive vice president and secretary of Core Industries  Inc., a publicly-held
(NYSE) diversified  manufacturing  company, from 1981 until its sale in 1997. He
led more than 20 acquisition and divesture transactions involving  approximately
$630 million in revenue and played an important  role in the  refocusing  of the
company that resulted in a five-fold increase in its market  capitalization.  He
was elected a director of the company in 1992.

      Mr. Murphy was a certified public  accountant with Deloitte & Touche and a
practicing attorney before he joined Core Industries.

      "Larry  Murphy  has a  demonstrated  record of  leading  rapid  growth and
creating value for customers and shareholders," said Kevin T. Conroy,  president
and chief  executive  officer of Third Wave.  "We are very pleased that Larry is
joining Third Wave's board of directors.  His incisive strategic perspective and
broad operational  experience



will be invaluable to Third Wave as we continue to drive the company's emergence
as a leader in molecular diagnostics."

      Mr. Murphy will serve on Third Wave's audit and compensation committees.

About Third Wave Technologies

      Third Wave  Technologies  is a leader in the  development and marketing of
molecular  diagnostics  for a  variety  of DNA  and RNA  analysis  applications,
providing  physicians and researchers with superior molecular  solutions.  Third
Wave's Invader(R)  chemistry  provides the company's  customers with exceptional
performance,  scalability  and ease of use.  The  company  offers  a  number  of
clinical products based on its Invader(R)  chemistry for genetic testing related
to  multiple  disease  areas.  For more  information  about  Third  Wave and its
products, please visit the company's website at www.twt.com.

All statements in this news release that are not historical are  forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended.
Such  forward-looking  statements are subject to factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially for Third Wave from those projected.  Those factors
include risks and  uncertainties  relating to technological  approaches of Third
Wave and its competitors, product development, manufacturing, market acceptance,
cost and pricing of Third Wave products,  dependence on  collaborative  partners
and  commercial  customers,   successful  performance  under  collaborative  and
commercial agreements,  competition, the strength of the Third Wave intellectual
property,  the intellectual property of others and other risk factors identified
in the documents  Third Wave has filed,  or will file,  with the  Securities and
Exchange  Commission.  Copies  of the  Third  Wave  filings  with the SEC may be
obtained  from  the SEC  Internet  site at  www.sec.gov.  Third  Wave  expressly
disclaims  any  obligation  or  undertaking  to release  publicly any updates or
revisions  to any  forward-looking  statements  contained  herein to reflect any
change in Third Wave's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events,
conditions,  or circumstances on which any such statements are based. Third Wave
Technologies,  Invader  and the Third  Wave logo are  trademarks  of Third  Wave
Technologies, Inc.

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