Exhibit 10.36
                              DIANON SYSTEMS, INC.

                                                            Grant No.

                           DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION GRANT


Optionee:               _____________      Total No. of Shares

Date of Grant:                             Exercise Price Per Share

Termination Date:


     DIANON  SYSTEMS,  INC.  (the  "Company")  has this day granted to you,  the
optionee  named  above,  an option  to  purchase  shares of common  stock of the
Company ("Common Stock")pursuant to the 1996 Stock Incentive Plan ("the Plan").

     The details of your option are as follows:

     1. The total number of shares subject to this option is as set forth above.
Subject to the limitations contained herein, this option shall be exercisable on
or after the date of the vesting of such option as follows:



     Percentage of Shares              Date of Earliest Exercise (Vesting)
     --------------------              -----------------------------------
                                          
            10%                               91 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              182 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              273 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              364 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              455 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              546 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              637 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              728 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              819 days after Date of Grant
            10%                              910 days after Date of Grant



     2. (a) The per share  exercise  price of this option is as set forth on the
face of this option grant

        (b) Payment of the exercise price is due in  full in cash upon  exercise
when the  aggregate  option  exercise  price for the shares  being  purchased is
$2,500 or less;  but when the  aggregate  exercise  price for the  shares  being
purchased  exceeds  $2,500,  you may elect to make payment of the exercise price
under one of the following alternatives:

               (i)  Payment  of the  exercise  price  in cash at the time of the
          exercise;

               (ii) (a) Payment of not less than 10% of the  aggregate  exercise
          price due at the time of  exercise  in cash,  (b) not less than 10% of
          said exercise price, plus simple interest at the lowest rate which, at
          the time of exercise,  will prevent any imputation of higher  interest
          under  Section 483 of the Internal  Revenue  Code,  per year after the
          time of  exercise,  with (c) final  payment  of the  remainder  of the
          exercise  price,  plus  interest,  due five  (5)  years  from  date of
          exercise,  provided that as a part of your written  notice of exercise
          you give notice of the election of this deferred payment  arrangement,
          and to  secure  the  payment  of the  deferred  purchase  price to the
          Company  hereunder,  which such  election  you tender to the Company a
          security agreement  satisfactory to the Company covering the purchased
          shares;




               (iii) Provided that at the time of exercise the Company's  common
          stock is  publicly  traded and  quoted  regularly  in the Wall  Street
          Journal,  payment by delivery of shares of common stock of the Company
          which  you have  owned for at least six moths and which at the time of
          exercise  are  owned  by you  free and  clear  of any  liens,  claims,
          encumbrances or security interests, which common stock shall be valued
          (i) if listed on a national securities exchange or the Nasdaq national
          market,  at the average  closing  price for the ten (10)  trading days
          immediately  preceding  the date of exercise or (ii)  otherwise at the
          average of the closing bid and ask  quotations  published  in the Wall
          Street Journal for the ten (10) trading days immediately preceding the
          date of exercise; or

               (iv)  Payment in the form of any other legal  consideration  that
          may be acceptable to the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole
          discretion at the time of exercise.

     3. The minimum  number of shares  with  respect to which this option may be
exercised at any one time is one hundred (100), however, if the number of shares
subject to exercise is less than one hundred, the option must be exercised as to
all of such shares.

     4. The term of this option  commences on the date hereof and  terminates on
the date set forth on the face of this  option  grant.  Unless  you  resign as a
director  in which case the option will expire on the earlier of five years from
the date of your resignation or the Termination Date on page 1 hereto.

     5.  This  option  may  be  exercised,  to the  extent  specified  above  by
delivering  a  notice  of  exercise  together  with  the  exercise  price to the
Secretary of the Company,  or to such other person as the Company may designate,
during regular  business hours,  together with such additional  documents as the
Company may then require.

     6.  This  option  is not  transferable,  except  by will or by the  laws of
descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your life only by you.

     7. Any notices  provided  for in this option  shall be given in writing and
shall be deemed  effectively  given  upon  receipt  or,  in the case of  notices
delivered  by the  Company  to you,  five (5) days  after  deposit in the United
States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the address specified below or
at such other address as you hereafter designates by written notice delivered to
the Company.

     8.  Whenever  shares are to be issued in  satisfaction  of this  option you
shall remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local
or other  withholding  tax  requirements  if and to the extent  required  by law
(whether  so  required  to secure for the  Company an  otherwise  available  tax
deduction  or  otherwise)   prior  to  the  delivery  of  any   certificate   or
certifi-cates for such shares.

     9. In the  event  of any  merger,  reorganization,  consolidation,  sale of
substantially  all  assets,  recapitalization,   stock  dividend,  stock  split,
spin-off,  split-off,  distribution  of  assets  or other  change  in  corporate
structure  affecting the Common Stock, a substitution  of adjustment,  as may be
determined  to be  appropriate  by the Board of  Directors  or the  Compensation
Committee  of the  Board  ("the  Compensation  Committee")  shall be made in the
number, option price and kind of shares covered by this Option; provided however
that no such  adjustment  shall increase or decrease the aggregate  value of any
outstanding portion of this Option.

     10. This option is governed by the terms and  conditions  of the  Company's
1996 Stock  Incentive  Plan,  a copy of which is attached  hereto.  The Board of
Directors  and the  Compensation  Committee  reserve the right to interpret  the
provisions of this Option, make any necessary factual determinations, and adopt,
amend,  and rescind  administrative  rules and procedures in connection with the
exercise of this Option. Any interpretation or determination by the Board or the
Compensation Committee shall be final and binding.





The undersigned:

Dated This      day of             (a) Acknowledges receipt of the fore-

              , 19   .             going option and understands that all
- --------------    ---
                                   rights and liabilities connected with

                                   this option are set forth in the Option

                                   and the Plan, (b) Acknowledges that as

Very truly yours,                  of the date of grant of this option, it
DIANON SYSTEMS, INC.
                                   sets forth the entire understanding
Duly authorized on
behalf of the                      between the undersigned optionee and
Board of Directors
                                   the Company regarding the acquisition of

                                   stock from the

Company and supersedes all         prior oral and written agreements on that

                                   subject with the

exception of the following
                                   agreements only: (if none, so state)



Attachment:                                  ---------------------------------
1996 Stock Incentive Plan
                                   Address:  ---------------------------------

                                             ---------------------------------