I bumped into someone who works with my supervisor the other day and he was telling me about some lab work he will be doing. He then said that he would be using my isolates that I have collected and identified as part of my PhD. Neither of my supervisors have asked me about this or even mentioned this to me. I didn't say anything though because I was suprised about it.

Having since though about it I'm a bit upset that they didn't ask me. I know they are my supervisors but it would be nice to have been consulted. Also I am wondering what will happen if he gets a publication out of it and if I will get credit for having isolated and identified them. I don't know what to do. Am I making a mountain out of mole hill?

Students have no rights :(

Hmm.. sounds very questionable. Where I'm from, friendly communication is key, and it works most of the time. That is why we have numerous meetings (ie journal clubs, administrative, maintainence, committees of various issues, staff).

If it was me, I would be speaking to my supervisors about this ASAP. Better to sort this out now than later when publication, IP and acknowledgement issues develop into costly undertakings.

Do not be coerced into something that smells like a rat. Supervisors and established researchers are known to play underhanded games to gain an advantage in the research field. I'm not saying your supervisors are underhanded scum, the whole thing might be a genuine oversight. If in doubt, make an appointment with your university/institution's legal or intellectual property or research administrative dept to learn more about your rights. Students have rights too.

Hmmm, I think things can get quite fraught in labs with identifying who has done what and who gets credit for what. I would hope that if anything comes of this guys work ie Results, then you would be credited. Experimantal papers often seem to have 100 authors, right down to the lab technician. If he is just experimenting with them then I don't think you have any right to complain unfortunately. Although I disagree personally, I guess your lab would see it as the labs property.

If some results do come out of it I would just drop lots of heavy hints to remind whoever necassary that these things you isolated were all your work. Perhaps in the ecstasy of discovery this fact was forgotten!

yes, I would try to make things transparent by talking to people. also, while there might be something fishy in there, it might all be fine, too. perhaps they are all intending to credit your work anyway, in one way or another, and it is actually good news, because you will be made co-author or get another form of reward. so, perhaps the only thing amiss here, is that you weren't yet informed. the only way to find out is by asking!
hope it all turns out fine!

A lot of work in our lab is started by one person and carried on in a new project.
My supervisor tells new people who to go to for help without warning them, and the next thing you know you are being asked for help on your protein without knowing anything about what is going on.
Sometimes supervisors are just like this is they are managing the projects, and don't consider you.
It's worth making sure you get credit, even an acknowledgement.

Be clever.

Next time you bump into your super, bring up the fact that you know and sound really excited that someone is going to be using your stuff and that you feel you are contributing to scientific progress and see what his/her reaction is ...

Don't let on that you are peeved by it. Ask questions. Say "I wasn't quite clear about ### though and what they going to do for ###" Hehe ;)