SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 8, 2000


                              LJL BIOSYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    000-23647
                            (Commission File Number)

  DELAWARE                               77-0360183
  (State or other jurisdiction of        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
   incorporation)


                                405 TASMAN DRIVE
                               SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
            (Address of principal executive offices, with zip code)

                                 (408) 541-8787
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                       N/A
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)




ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

         On February 8, 2000, LJL BioSystems, Inc. announced that Columbia
University and Virginia Commonwealth University release favorable results
from LJL's SNP platform. Further details regarding this announcement are
contained in the company's news release dated February 8, 2000 attached as an
exhibit hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7.      FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS

      (a)    Exhibits:

             99.11 LJL BioSystems, Inc. News Release dated February 8, 2000





                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                     LJL BIOSYSTEMS, INC.



Date: February 9, 2000            By: /s/  Lev J. Leytes
                                      -------------------
                                                      Lev J. Leytes
                                                      President and CEO