A CHEMICAL research and development company has strengthened its team.

High Force Research has welcomed postgraduate David Chisholm.

Bosses say Mr Chisholm, who completed a biological chemistry PhD at Durham University, has spent the last four years studying synthetic retinoids and their potential uses for treating Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, with his postgraduate research sponsored by High Force.

From his new base at High Force’s Wilton Centre laboratory, near Redcar, Mr Chisholm will continue his research, which is being co-funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and High Force.

It is part of a new two-year project to research a synthetic version of retinoic acid usually created from vitamin A, which it is hoped may be used to treat neurological disorders.

Mr Chisholm said: “It’s a privilege to be part of a project that could have such a profound impact on how we treat neurological conditions.”