Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
BOWEN R WILLIAM
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
GEN PROBE INC [GPRO]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Senior VP, General Counsel
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED, 10210 GENETIC CENTER DRIVE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/10/2012
(Street)

SAN DIEGO, CA 92121
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 69.22 02/10/2012   A   26,892     (1) 02/10/2019 Common Stock 26,892 $ 0 26,892 D  
Performance Stock Rights (2) 02/10/2012   A   11,028     (2) 02/10/2015 Common Stock 11,028 $ 0 11,028 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
BOWEN R WILLIAM
GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
10210 GENETIC CENTER DRIVE
SAN DIEGO, CA 92121
      Senior VP, General Counsel  

Signatures

 /s/ R. William Bowen   02/14/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) 25% of the shares subject to the stock option vest on February 10, 2013, and the remaining shares vest in equal monthly installments over the following three years.
(2) The amount reported reflects the maximum number of shares of Issuer common stock that may be issued to the Reporting Person based on the Issuer's adjusted relative stockholder return over a three-year performance period commencing on February 10, 2012. Shares subject to performance stock rights vest and may be issued to the Reporting Person as follows: one-third of the shares vest and may be issued to the Reporting Person on each of the first anniversary, second anniversary and third anniversary of the performance stock right grant date, so long as the Reporting Person is employed by the Issuer on each such date. Based on actual achievement, the Reporting Person may receive between 0% and 100% of the number of shares of Issuer common stock reported herein.

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