After the referendum in June in which the United Kingdom elected to leave the European Union, Victoria Forster, a cancer researcher at Newcastle University and a UK native, wrote a column in The Guardian supporting her foreign colleagues and predicted how Britain's exit (Brexit) might affect cancer care. She explains why she probably won't be returning to the United Kingdom after her forthcoming postdoc in Canada.

Describe your reaction to the Brexit result.

Credit: Mike Urwin

Like the vast majority of academics, I didn't want Brexit. The potential impacts were so clearly negative. The night after the vote, I attended a birthday party for a Polish friend with five people from the EU. It was so demoralizing. These are talented, hardworking, qualified people working in medical research. The vote had made them feel very unwelcome.

What was the response to your piece in The Guardian?

From scientists and other academics it was extremely positive. Many people thanked me for giving these perspectives a voice. Some relatives of people with cancer were horrified that research relevant to their family's care may be impacted. It was something they hadn't thought about. Of course, a few people made comments about scaremongering, and said that research wouldn't be affected.

Has the vote affected your European friends in the United Kingdom?

I haven't seen anything myself, but I have close colleagues and friends from mainland Europe who have been insulted on the street. Some won't speak to their children in their native language in public any more.

Has Brexit changed your career plans?

I had already accepted a postdoc in Toronto before the Brexit vote, but had assumed I would return to the United Kingdom afterwards. I have a house and family here. But even in the lead-up to the referendum, seeing the intolerance directed at my colleagues I went off the idea of coming back. I think it's likely that there will be funding problems in a few years, when I would have come back. I will investigate staying in Canada, or perhaps going elsewhere outside the United Kingdom. I know at least four or five other Brits who have said they will leave the country as soon as their contracts are up. But it's not something everyone can do, especially if they have children.

How would you describe the UK funding outlook?

It's always a scrabble for funding and everyone spends large amounts of their time writing grants. This is a further hit. The big UK cancer charities rely to some degree on investment portfolios and their budgets must be modelled quite far in advance. I would not be surprised if there is less money available in future.

Are any of your grants in jeopardy?

I was planning to apply for EU funding for a project that builds on early results on a rare side effect of a drug for childhood cancer. I collaborate with researchers in Scotland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany on the project. That grant application is now up in the air. For that project, there are simply not enough people in the United Kingdom alone to create good data and records. We need to collaborate with Europe.

How would you describe the atmosphere now?

The shock is over, but things are still uncertain. My EU colleagues are resigned to the knowledge that they have no confirmation of status, and we realize we're not going to get new information until the politicians are ready. Much of what people thought a Brexit vote was for is unravelling. There's likely to be no additional money for health services or for immigration reform, as was claimed before the vote. It was all so predictable — but I don't feel any satisfaction.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.