| name | alterlab-bgpt-search |
| description | Search scientific papers and retrieve structured experimental data extracted from full-text studies via the BGPT MCP server, returning 25+ fields per paper (methods, results, sample sizes, quality scores, conclusions). Use when running a literature review or evidence synthesis, or when needing experimental details (sample sizes, effect sizes, methods, quality scores) that abstracts alone do not provide. Part of the AlterLab Academic Skills suite. |
| allowed-tools | Bash |
| license | MIT |
| compatibility | Connects to the BGPT MCP server. Free tier allows 50 free results with no API key; higher volume needs a BGPT API key from bgpt.pro/mcp. Requires network access. |
| metadata | {"skill-author":"AlterLab","version":"1.0.1","skill-source":"https://github.com/connerlambden/bgpt-mcp"} |
BGPT Paper Search
Overview
BGPT is a remote MCP server that searches a curated database of scientific papers built from raw experimental data extracted from full-text studies. Unlike traditional literature databases that return titles and abstracts, BGPT returns structured data from the actual paper content — methods, quantitative results, sample sizes, quality assessments, and 25+ metadata fields per paper.
When to Use This Skill
Use BGPT when the value is in structured full-text experimental data, not titles/abstracts:
- Building evidence tables for a meta-analysis, scoping review, or clinical guideline
- Extracting sample sizes, effect sizes, methods, protocols, or conclusions across studies
- Comparing methodologies, or filtering papers by quality score / evidence grading
For broad title/abstract discovery use alterlab-pubmed; for real-time web-grounded summaries of recent developments use alterlab-perplexity.
Setup
BGPT is a remote MCP server — no local installation required.
Claude Desktop / Claude Code
Add to your MCP configuration:
{
"mcpServers": {
"bgpt": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["mcp-remote", "https://bgpt.pro/mcp/sse"]
}
}
}
npm (alternative)
npx bgpt-mcp
Usage
Once configured, use the search_papers tool provided by the BGPT MCP server:
Search for papers about: "CRISPR gene editing efficiency in human cells"
The server returns structured results including:
- Title, authors, journal, year, DOI
- Methods: Experimental techniques, models, protocols
- Results: Key findings with quantitative data
- Sample sizes: Number of subjects/samples
- Quality scores: Study quality assessments
- Conclusions: Author conclusions and implications
Pricing
- Free tier: 50 free results, no API key required
- Paid: $0.02 per result (billed per result actually returned, not per search) with an API key from bgpt.pro/mcp
Complementary Skills
Pairs well with:
alterlab-literature-review — gather structured data with BGPT, then synthesize
alterlab-pubmed — PubMed for broad discovery, BGPT for deep experimental data
alterlab-biorxiv — combine preprint discovery with full-text data extraction
alterlab-pyzotero — manage citations from BGPT search results