biorxiv-mcp-server

Search and retrieve bioRxiv and medRxiv preprints — by DOI, date interval, or keyword — via MCP.

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What it can do

  • Biorxiv List Categories: List valid subject category strings for bioRxiv and medRxiv. Use these strings as the `category` filter in biorxiv_list_recent to narrow results to a specific field. The taxon
  • Biorxiv List Recent: List preprints posted or revised within a date interval, optionally scoped to one server or a subject category. Returns 30 preprints per page (fixed by the API); pass `cursor` as
  • Biorxiv Get Preprint: Fetch full metadata, abstract, all revision history, full-text/PDF links, and published-journal DOI for one or more preprints by DOI. Each DOI returns all revisions in one respon

What data it sees

Do you need an account

No: the server works without sign-in

Search and retrieve bioRxiv and medRxiv preprints — by DOI, date interval, or keyword — via MCP.

How to connect

How to connect biorxiv-mcp-server to Claude

The server address to paste into Claude settings:

https://biorxiv-mcp-server--cyanheads.run.tools

  1. Open Claude (claude.ai or the desktop app).
  2. Go to Settings → Connectors.
  3. Click Add custom connector.
  4. Paste the server address copied below into Remote MCP server URL and click Add.
  5. In a chat, click + → Connectors and switch the new connector on.

Custom connectors are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans (Free is limited to one). On Team and Enterprise an organization Owner adds the connector first under Organization settings → Connectors.

Authorization

After you click Add, a sign-in window for the service opens. Sign in with your own account and approve access. Claude never sees your password.

How to connect biorxiv-mcp-server to ChatGPT

The server address to paste into ChatGPT settings:

https://biorxiv-mcp-server--cyanheads.run.tools

  1. Open ChatGPT in a browser (chatgpt.com). A Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu plan is required.
  2. Turn on developer mode once: Settings → Apps → Advanced settings → Developer mode.
  3. Open Settings → Connectors and click Create.
  4. Fill in the form: Name (anything), Description (one line about what the service does), MCP server URL (copy it below).
  5. Under Authentication choose OAuth if the service requires sign-in, otherwise None. Click Create.
  6. In a new chat open + → Apps/Connectors and enable the connector.

OpenAI has renamed this section before (Connectors → Apps/Plugins). If the label differs, search settings for "developer mode". On Business/Enterprise workspaces an admin must allow custom connectors first.

Authorization

On first use ChatGPT opens the service's sign-in window. Sign in and approve access.

How to connect biorxiv-mcp-server to Cursor

The server address to paste into Cursor settings:

https://biorxiv-mcp-server--cyanheads.run.tools

Fastest: click Open in Cursor below and confirm the prompt.

Manually:

  1. In Cursor open Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP and click Add new global MCP server.
  2. Paste the JSON copied below into ~/.cursor/mcp.json (per project: .cursor/mcp.json in the repo root).
  3. Save the file. The server appears in the MCP list; authorize it there if asked.

Authorization

If the service needs sign-in, an authorize button appears next to the server in the MCP list.

Server tool list (5)

Raw names from tools/list. Only developers need these.

biorxiv_list_categoriesList valid subject category strings for bioRxiv and medRxiv. Use these strings as the `category` filter in biorxiv_list_recent to narrow results to a specific field. The taxonomy is static and maintained in-server; run this tool before filtering to get the current valid values.
biorxiv_list_recentList preprints posted or revised within a date interval, optionally scoped to one server or a subject category. Returns 30 preprints per page (fixed by the API); pass `cursor` as an integer offset (0, 30, 60, …) to step through additional pages. When server="both" (default), per-server pagination state is returned separately — use each server's `cursor` field for independent advancement. Category filtering is applied server-side; call biorxiv_list_categories for valid category strings.
biorxiv_get_preprintFetch full metadata, abstract, all revision history, full-text/PDF links, and published-journal DOI for one or more preprints by DOI. Each DOI returns all revisions in one response. When server="both" (default), each DOI is checked against both bioRxiv and medRxiv; the response includes which server the preprint was found on. Per-DOI failures are surfaced in failed[] rather than aborting the batch. DOIs must match the pattern 10.NNNN/…
biorxiv_get_published_versionResolve a preprint DOI to its full journal publication record — journal DOI, journal name, published date, and corresponding author details. Use when the preprint's `publishedJournalDoi` field from biorxiv_get_preprint is present and you need the full crosswalk metadata. Returns a not-found error when the preprint is not yet published. Check biorxiv_get_preprint first to confirm the publishedJournalDoi field is populated.
biorxiv_search_preprintsSearch preprints by keyword using EuropePMC for relevance ranking, then enrich matching DOIs with full bioRxiv/medRxiv metadata. Covers both servers by default. EuropePMC indexes new preprints within 1–2 days of posting; for preprints posted within the last day, prefer biorxiv_list_recent. The search backend is EuropePMC — bioRxiv's native search endpoint is not used.