Sometimes students cannot even share data with people in their own laboratories. Their advisers try to use the competitive edge to their own advantage by putting more than one person in their lab on the same project. Lab notebooks are locked away at night to keep lab mates from snooping. Important data are not shared at lab meeting to keep competing lab mates in the dark. Instead of collaborating in a synergistic manner, lab mates work in isolation toward the same goal.
Competition has effects that reach much further than the graduate student.
Scientists are often portrayed in the media as noble crusaders, fighting against disease. Yet competition frequently keeps scientists from working together toward this goal. Even when patents and big money aren't at stake, academic labs may postpone publication. Once a reagent has been published, it is supposed to be distributed freely, within reason, to other labs. My colleague, Marta, says that her competitors regularly spread the word that they have gotten a particular result but then significantly postpone publication so that they can retain exclusive use of their reagents.