In this episode of the LUF podcast, host Melissa Kramer sits down with Dr. Nick Parkinson, Scientific Director at the UK-based Systems Biology Laboratory. Driven by a personal experience with his young daughter’s recurring, culture-negative UTIs, Dr. Parkinson’s team developed a groundbreaking DNA‑based test that bypasses traditional culture and PCR methods. Using nanopore sequencing, they analyze urine and vaginal samples directly, identifying bacteria, yeasts, viruses, plasmids, and phages with precision and speed. 

Standard UTI tests often miss infections entirely. Dr. Nick Parkinson shares how his team used nanopore DNA sequencing to detect hidden bacteria, including rare strains like Tinnitignum charliei, that culture and PCR can’t find. This advanced method reveals not just what's present, but how each strain behaves and resists treatment. He also explains why testing both urine and vaginal samples is crucial for uncovering hidden reservoirs that may be causing recurrent UTIs.

What You’ll Learn from This Episode

• What limits current UTI tests like culture and PCR, and how nanopore sequencing overcomes them.
  
  
  
• Why matching the strain, not just the species, matters for understanding how UTI bugs behave and resist treatment.
  
  
  
• How this tool may reshape both diagnosis and treatment planning, including antibiotic guidance and recognition of underexplored conditions like overgrowth syndromes.

Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.