Scitex Dataset
FreeNot checkedMulti-domain scientific dataset fetcher (neuroscience, biology, medical)
About
Multi-domain scientific dataset fetcher (neuroscience, biology, medical)
README
Unified access to neuroscience and scientific datasets
Full Documentation · uv pip install scitex-dataset[all]
Problem and Solution
| # | Problem | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public dataset repositories balkanized -- OpenNeuro (BIDS) + DANDI (NWB) + PhysioNet (WFDB) + Zenodo (generic) + GEO / ChEMBL / ClinicalTrials — different APIs, auth, download tools | Unified fetcher -- stx.dataset.neuroscience.openneuro.fetch_all_datasets() same call shape across all; local FTS5 search across metadata |
| 2 | "Download this BIDS dataset" means reading DataLad docs first -- the barrier is tooling, not knowledge | One-line fetch -- no DataLad setup; the module handles auth, resumption, checksums transparently |
Supported repositories
| Domain | Repository | Description | Data Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| neuroscience | OpenNeuro | Open BIDS neuroimaging platform | MRI, EEG, MEG, iEEG, PET |
| neuroscience | DANDI | BRAIN Initiative archive (NWB) | Electrophysiology, Ophys |
| neuroscience | PhysioNet | Physiological signal databases | ECG, EEG, clinical data |
| neuroscience | GIN | G-Node Infrastructure (Gogs + git-annex) | iEEG, ephys, behaviour |
| general | Zenodo | General scientific data (CERN) | Any research data |
| general | Figshare | Research data sharing platform | Any research data |
| general | OpenML | Machine-learning datasets | Tabular ML benchmarks |
| general | HuggingFace Hub | ML datasets / models (on-demand) | Any |
| biology | GEO | Gene Expression Omnibus (NCBI) | Transcriptomics, microarray |
| pharmacology | MoleculeNet | Molecular ML benchmark suite | SMILES, properties |
| pharmacology | ChEMBL | Bioactivity database (EBI) | IC50/Ki/EC50 assays |
| medical | ClinicalTrials.gov | NIH study registry | Trial metadata |
Table 1. Supported data repositories. Each source is queried via its public API; no authentication required for metadata access.
Installation
Requires Python >= 3.10.
pip install scitex-dataset
MCP support:
pip install scitex-dataset[mcp]
Targeting a specific Python (agent containers, system venvs, Spartan modules)
When the host has multiple Python interpreters — e.g. a pre-built
agent venv at /opt/venv-agent, a Spartan module load Python/3.11.3,
or an existing ~/.venv you want to leave alone — point uv at the
exact interpreter you want with --python:
# install into a specific venv WITHOUT touching project-local .venv
uv pip install --python /opt/venv-agent/bin/python "scitex-dataset[all]"
# one-shot CLI run under that interpreter
uv run --python /opt/venv-agent/bin/python scitex-dataset list-python-apis
# install the CLI as a tool, pinned to the same interpreter
uv tool install --python /opt/venv-agent/bin/python "scitex-dataset[mcp]"
# in a downstream script that bootstraps scitex-dataset, honour
# SCITEX_PYTHON if the caller sets it:
SCITEX_PYTHON="${SCITEX_PYTHON:-/opt/venv-agent/bin/python}"
uv pip install --python "$SCITEX_PYTHON" "scitex-dataset[all]"
The Makefile honours PYTHON=:
PYTHON=/opt/venv-agent/bin/python make install
See issue #38.
Architecture
scitex_dataset/
├── __init__.py ← public API (every *_fetch + filter/list_sources)
├── __main__.py ← `python -m scitex_dataset`
├── _api.py ← unified fetch dispatch
├── _sources.py ← source registry (id → fetcher)
├── _config.py ← PriorityConfig (cli > yaml > env > default)
├── _branding.py ← CLI banner / version helpers
├── database.py ← local SQLite cache (db_build / db_search)
├── search.py ← cross-source search + filter_results
├── neuroscience/ ← openneuro, dandi, physionet
├── biology/ ← geo, figshare, zenodo
├── medical/ ← clinicaltrials.gov
├── pharmacology/ ← chembl, moleculenet
├── general/ ← huggingface, openml
├── _cli/ ← `scitex-dataset` CLI (Click groups)
├── _mcp/ ← MCP server tools
└── _skills/ ← agent-facing skill files
Sub-packages group fetchers by scientific domain; each leaf module
exposes a <source>_fetch(query, ...) entry point registered in
_sources.py and re-exported from __init__.py.
Four Interfaces (Python · CLI · MCP · Skills)
Python API ⭐⭐⭐ (primary)
from scitex_dataset import (
openneuro_fetch, dandi_fetch, huggingface_search,
filter_results, list_sources,
db_build, db_search,
)
# 1) Fetch from any catalog source — every <src>_fetch alias is 1:1
# with the dataset_<src>_fetch MCP tool.
records = openneuro_fetch(max_datasets=100)
# 2) Filter + rank in memory.
top = filter_results(
records, modality="eeg", min_subjects=20,
sort_by="downloads", limit=10,
)
# 3) Search HuggingFace Hub directly (on-demand, no catalog).
hf_hits = huggingface_search("biology", limit=20)
# 4) Build the local SQLite + FTS5 index for offline queries.
db_build()
db_search("Alzheimer EEG")
# 5) Inspect the supported sources.
list_sources()["count"] # 11
CLI Commands ⭐⭐
scitex-dataset --help-recursive # Show all commands
# Grammar: scitex-dataset <domain> <dataset> <action>
scitex-dataset neuroscience openneuro fetch -n 100 -o datasets.json -v
scitex-dataset neuroscience dandi fetch -n 50 -o dandi.json -v
scitex-dataset neuroscience physionet fetch -n 50 -v
scitex-dataset general zenodo fetch -q "neuroscience" -n 20
# HuggingFace (general/huggingface noun-group has 4 verbs)
scitex-dataset general huggingface fetch Anthropic/BioMysteryBench-full
scitex-dataset general huggingface search "biology" -n 20 --json
# Local database
scitex-dataset db build # index all catalog sources
scitex-dataset db search "epilepsy EEG" # full-text search
scitex-dataset db show-stats # show statistics
# Introspection
scitex-dataset list-python-apis -v # list Python API tree
scitex-dataset mcp list-tools -v # list MCP tools
MCP Server ⭐⭐
AI agents can discover and query neuroscience datasets autonomously.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
dataset_list_sources |
Enumerate the 11 supported sources |
dataset_filter_results |
Filter / rank fetched datasets in memory |
dataset_<src>_fetch |
One per catalog source (10 total) |
dataset_huggingface_fetch / _search / _info / _download_file |
HuggingFace family |
dataset_db_build / _search / _show_stats |
Local SQLite + FTS5 index |
dataset_skills_list / _get |
Bundled skill pages |
Table 2. 21 MCP tools across catalog fetchers, HuggingFace,
the local index, and skill introspection. Every MCP tool has a matching
public Python alias (e.g. scitex_dataset.openneuro_fetch).
scitex-dataset mcp start
Skills ⭐
Skills provide workflow-oriented guides that AI agents query to discover capabilities and usage patterns.
scitex-dataset skills list # List available skill pages
scitex-dataset skills get SKILL # Show main skill page
scitex-dev skills export --package scitex-dataset # Export to Claude Code
| Skill | Content |
|---|---|
installation |
pip install + extras + verify |
quick-start |
Search, fetch, sort across sources |
python-api |
Top-level exports, domain submodules, examples |
cli-reference |
CLI grammar, domains, flags, config precedence |
mcp-tools |
MCP tools for AI agents |
env-vars |
SCITEX_* environment variables |
data-sources |
All 11 supported repositories |
Demo
flowchart LR
Q["query<br/>'eeg motor imagery'"] --> A["scitex_dataset"]
A --> N["neuroscience/<br/>openneuro · dandi · physionet"]
A --> B["biology/<br/>geo · figshare · zenodo"]
A --> M["medical/<br/>clinicaltrials.gov"]
A --> P["pharmacology/<br/>chembl · moleculenet"]
A --> G["general/<br/>huggingface · openml"]
N & B & M & P & G --> F["filter_results()"]
F --> D["local SQLite cache<br/>(database.py)"]
D --> O["DataFrame · JSON · download"]
Part of SciTeX
scitex-dataset is part of SciTeX. Install via
the umbrella with pip install scitex[dataset] to use as
scitex.dataset (Python) or scitex dataset ... (CLI).
import scitex
from scitex_dataset import fetch_all_datasets, format_dataset
@scitex.session
def main(logger=scitex.INJECTED):
datasets = fetch_all_datasets(max_datasets=100, logger=logger)
formatted = [format_dataset(ds) for ds in datasets]
scitex.io.save(formatted, "openneuro_datasets.json")
return 0
The SciTeX ecosystem follows the Four Freedoms for Research, inspired by the Free Software Definition:
Four Freedoms for Research
- The freedom to run your research anywhere -- your machine, your terms.
- The freedom to study how every step works -- from raw data to final manuscript.
- The freedom to redistribute your workflows, not just your papers.
- The freedom to modify any module and share improvements with the community.
AGPL-3.0 -- because we believe research infrastructure deserves the same freedoms as the software it runs on.
Install Scitex Dataset in Claude Desktop, Claude Code & Cursor
unyly install scitex-datasetInstalls into Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor & VS Code — handles npx, uvx and build-from-source repos for you.
First time? Get the CLI: curl -fsSL https://unyly.org/install | sh
Or configure manually
Run in your terminal:
claude mcp add scitex-dataset -- uvx scitex-datasetStep-by-step: how to install Scitex Dataset
FAQ
Is Scitex Dataset MCP free?
Yes, Scitex Dataset MCP is free — one-click install via Unyly at no cost.
Does Scitex Dataset need an API key?
No, Scitex Dataset runs without API keys or environment variables.
Is Scitex Dataset hosted or self-hosted?
Self-hosted: the server runs locally on your machine via the install command above.
How do I install Scitex Dataset in Claude Desktop, Claude Code or Cursor?
Open Scitex Dataset on unyly.org, pick your client tab (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor) and press Install — the config is generated automatically, no JSON editing.
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