DNA repair errors behind Lynch syndrome and other cancers

Mismatch Repair and Carcinogenesis

['FUNDING_R01'] · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11103370

Researchers are learning how mistakes in a DNA repair system called mismatch repair cause cancers such as Lynch syndrome and change how tumors respond to treatments.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorOHIO STATE UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11103370 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This project uses advanced lab imaging and biochemical methods to watch the proteins that normally fix DNA mistakes and to see how they fail. Investigators focus on the main mismatch repair proteins (for example MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, PMS2) and their partners to map the sequence of events after DNA damage. The team links these molecular events to why some tumors resist chemotherapy but can respond strongly to PD‑1/PD‑L1 immunotherapy. Results aim to explain how mismatch repair defects trigger immune responses and reveal possible targets for new treatments.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with Lynch syndrome or cancers shown to have mismatch repair defects would be the most relevant candidates for related clinical follow-up or trials.

Not a fit: Patients whose cancers do not involve mismatch repair defects or people without cancer are unlikely to see direct benefits from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better ways to predict which tumors will respond to immunotherapy and new targets for treating mismatch repair–defective cancers.

How similar studies have performed: Clinically, PD‑1/PD‑L1 immunotherapy has been very effective in mismatch repair–deficient tumors, but the detailed molecular links this project studies are still largely unproven.

Where this research is happening

Columbus, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Cancer Induction, Cancers

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.