Published: 23 October 2018

In reaction to the Francis Crick Institute statement that a hard Brexit 'could cripple UK science' Aisling Burnand MBE, Chief Executive of the AMRC, said:

“Collaboration and international partnership are the basis of great science and research. The Francis Crick Institute is a magnet for both UK and international expertise and talent. Two of the leading UK medical research charities are founding partners in its work. The collaborative international approach trailblazes pioneering research with the potential to result in transformative outcomes for patients.

“We know it is win-win to have people flow both ways and learn. If a researcher goes off to a different country, they are learning from that person—perhaps the leading person—and then they can come back, set up a new team, spread their new knowledge and hopefully improve our knowledge in a particular area where it may have been lacking to date.

“In a no deal Brexit, the exchange of personnel in the research workforce between the UK and EU may be compromised with immediate effect. Without a deal, the legal status of these researchers and their families is not protected. In the absence of legal certainty, there is a growing risk that this highly skilled but highly mobile workforce will leave.”