Encode Toolkit vs Medical Terminologies… | AllMCPs
Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison
Encode Toolkit vs Medical Terminologies MCP
In-depth architectural comparison of the Encode Toolkit and Medical Terminologies MCP MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.
At a Glance & Executive Verdict
Encode Toolkit
Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics · Local stdio
Quality: 60/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required
Medical Terminologies MCP
Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics · Local stdio
Quality: 67/100 (Great) | Auth: API Key required
Verdict Summary: Choose Encode Toolkit if you need specialized Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics tools running via a local process. Choose Medical Terminologies MCP if your workspace requires Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.
Which MCP Server Should You Choose?
Choose Encode Toolkit when:
You need dedicated capabilities in the Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
MCP server and Claude Plugin for a full ENCODE Project genomic data and analysis toolkit — search, download, track, and analyze functional genomics experiments.
Unified MCP server for ICD-11 (WHO), LOINC, RxNorm, MeSH (NLM), ATC, CID-10 (Brazilian DataSUS), and optional SNOMED CT. 28 tools (34 with SNOMED) with structuredContent + outputSchema on every default tool. Hosted on Cloudflare Workers, listed on Smithery, and on npm.
Category & Scope
Tools & Capabilities Breakdown
Encode Toolkit Tools (20)
encode_search_experiments
Search ENCODE experiments with comprehensive filters.
Examples:
- Find all Histone ChIP-seq on human pancreas tissue:
assay_title="Histone ChIP-seq", organ="pancreas", biosample_type="tissue"
- Find ATAC-seq on human brain:
assay_title="ATAC-seq", organ="brain"
- Find RNA-seq on GM12878 cell line:
assay_title="total RNA-seq", biosample_term_name="GM12878"
- Find ChIP-seq targeting H3K27me3:
assay_title="Histone ChIP-seq", target="H3K27me3"
- Find all mouse liver experiments:
organism="Mus musculus", organ="liver"
- Free text search:
search_term="CRISPR screen pancreatic"
Common assay_title values: "Histone ChIP-seq", "TF ChIP-seq", "ATAC-seq",
"DNase-seq", "total RNA-seq", "polyA plus RNA-seq", "WGBS", "intact Hi-C",
"CUT&RUN", "CUT&Tag", "STARR-seq", "MPRA", "eCLIP", "CRISPR screen"
Common organ values: "pancreas", "liver", "brain", "heart", "kidney",
"lung", "intestine", "skin of body", "blood", "spleen", "thymus"
biosample_type values: "tissue", "cell line", "primary cell",
"in vitro differentiated cells", "organoid"
WHEN TO USE: Use as the primary entry point when users want to find experiments.
Start with encode_get_facets if unsure what filters to use.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_get_facets, encode_get_metadata, encode_search_files
Args:
assay_title: Assay type (e.g., "Histone ChIP-seq", "ATAC-seq", "total RNA-seq")
organism: Species (default: "Homo sapiens"). Also: "Mus musculus"
organ: Organ/tissue system (e.g., "pancreas", "brain", "liver")
biosample_type: Sample classification ("tissue", "cell line", "primary cell", "organoid")
biosample_term_name: Specific cell/tissue name (e.g., "GM12878", "HepG2", "pancreas")
target: ChIP/CUT&RUN target (e.g., "H3K27me3", "CTCF", "p300")
status: Data status (default: "released"). Also: "archived", "revoked"
lab: Submitting lab name
award: Funding project
assembly: Genome assembly (e.g., "GRCh38", "mm10")
replication_type: "isogenic", "anisogenic", or "unreplicated"
life_stage: "embryonic", "postnatal", "child", "adult"
sex: "male", "female", "mixed"
treatment: Treatment name if perturbation experiment
genetic_modification: Modification type ("CRISPR", "RNAi")
perturbed: True for perturbation experiments only
search_term: Free text search across all fields
date_released_from: Start date (YYYY-MM-DD) for date range filter
date_released_to: End date (YYYY-MM-DD) for date range filter
limit: Max results to return (default 25, use larger for comprehensive searches)
offset: Skip first N results (for pagination)
Returns:
JSON with experiment results, total count, and pagination info.
Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations
Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).
Encode Toolkit is categorized under Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Medical Terminologies MCP belongs to Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics using local stdio subprocess. Select Encode Toolkit when you need capabilities focused on biology, medicine and bioinformatics and Medical Terminologies MCP when you require tools for biology, medicine and bioinformatics.
Get full details for a specific ENCODE experiment by accession ID.
Returns the experiment's metadata, all associated files, the accessions of its possible
controls, replicate counts, and the number of audit flags at each level (ERROR,
NOT_COMPLIANT, WARNING, INTERNAL_ACTION). It does not return QC metric values such as
FRiP or NSC; those are on the experiment's page at encodeproject.org.
WHEN TO USE: Use when you have a specific accession and need full details
including files, controls, and audit counts.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_list_files, encode_track_experiment, encode_compare_experiments
Args:
accession: ENCODE experiment accession (e.g., "ENCSR133RZO", "ENCSR000AKS")
Returns:
JSON with full experiment details and file listing.
encode_list_files
List all files for a specific ENCODE experiment, with optional filters.
Examples:
- All BED files: experiment_accession="ENCSR133RZO", file_format="bed"
- FASTQs only: experiment_accession="ENCSR133RZO", file_format="fastq"
- Signal tracks: experiment_accession="ENCSR133RZO", output_category="signal"
- Default/recommended files: preferred_default=True
- Peaks from GRCh38: file_format="bed", output_type="IDR thresholded peaks", assembly="GRCh38"
Common file_format values: "fastq", "bam", "bed", "bigWig", "bigBed", "tsv", "hic"
Common output_type values: "reads", "alignments", "signal of unique reads",
"signal of all reads", "fold change over control", "IDR thresholded peaks",
"pseudoreplicated peaks", "replicated peaks", "gene quantifications",
"transcript quantifications", "contact matrix"
WHEN TO USE: Use to browse files within a known experiment. Use encode_search_files
instead to find files across experiments.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_search_files, encode_get_file_info, encode_download_files
Args:
experiment_accession: ENCODE experiment accession (e.g., "ENCSR133RZO")
file_format: Filter by format ("fastq", "bam", "bed", "bigWig", "bigBed", etc.)
file_type: Filter by specific type ("bed narrowPeak", "bed broadPeak", etc.)
output_type: Filter by output type ("reads", "peaks", "signal", etc.)
output_category: Filter by category ("raw data", "alignment", "signal", "annotation")
assembly: Filter by genome assembly ("GRCh38", "hg19", "mm10")
status: Filter by status ("released", "archived", "in progress")
preferred_default: If True, return only default/recommended files
limit: Max files to return (default 200)
Returns:
JSON list of files with accession, format, size, download URL, and metadata.
encode_search_files
Search files across ALL experiments with combined experiment + file filters.
This is powerful for finding specific file types across many experiments.
Examples:
- All BED files from human pancreas ChIP-seq:
file_format="bed", assay_title="Histone ChIP-seq", organ="pancreas"
- FASTQs from mouse liver RNA-seq:
file_format="fastq", assay_title="total RNA-seq", organ="liver", organism="Mus musculus"
- All IDR peak files for H3K27me3:
output_type="IDR thresholded peaks", target="H3K27me3"
- BigWig signal tracks from ATAC-seq on brain tissue:
file_format="bigWig", assay_title="ATAC-seq", organ="brain", biosample_type="tissue"
WHEN TO USE: Use to find specific file types across ALL experiments. More powerful
than encode_list_files for cross-experiment file discovery.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_list_files, encode_batch_download, encode_get_file_info
Args:
file_format: File format ("fastq", "bam", "bed", "bigWig", etc.)
file_type: Specific file type ("bed narrowPeak", "bed broadPeak", etc.)
output_type: Output type ("reads", "peaks", "signal", etc.)
output_category: Output category ("raw data", "alignment", "signal", "annotation")
assembly: Genome assembly ("GRCh38", "hg19", "mm10")
assay_title: Filter by assay type of parent experiment
organism: Filter by organism of parent experiment
organ: Filter by organ of parent experiment
biosample_type: Filter by biosample type ("tissue", "cell line", etc.)
target: Filter by ChIP/CUT&RUN target
status: File status (default: "released")
preferred_default: If True, only default/recommended files
search_term: Free text search
limit: Max results (default 25)
offset: Skip first N results (pagination)
Returns:
JSON with file results, total count, and pagination info.
encode_download_files
Download specific ENCODE files by accession to a local directory.
Downloads files from ENCODE to your local machine. Supports MD5 verification,
concurrent downloads, and skip-if-already-downloaded.
WHEN TO USE: Use for downloading specific files by accession. For bulk downloads,
prefer encode_batch_download.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_batch_download, encode_search_files, encode_log_derived_file
Args:
file_accessions: List of file accessions to download (e.g., ["ENCFF635JIA", "ENCFF388RZD"])
download_dir: Local directory path to save files (e.g., "./data/encode")
organize_by: How to organize downloaded files:
- "flat": All files in download_dir (default)
- "experiment": download_dir/ENCSR.../filename
- "format": download_dir/bed/filename
- "experiment_format": download_dir/ENCSR.../bed/filename
verify_md5: Verify file integrity with MD5 checksum (default True)
Returns:
JSON with download results for each file (path, size, success/error, MD5 status).
encode_get_metadata
Get available filter values for ENCODE searches.
Use this to discover valid values for search parameters.
WHEN TO USE: Use to discover valid filter values before searching. Helps prevent
typos in assay_title, organ, biosample_type etc.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_get_facets, encode_search_experiments
Args:
metadata_type: Type of metadata to retrieve. Options:
- "assays": Available assay types (Histone ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, total RNA-seq, etc.)
- "organisms": Available organisms (Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, etc.)
- "organs": Available organ/tissue systems (pancreas, brain, liver, etc.)
- "biosample_types": Biosample classifications (tissue, cell line, primary cell, etc.)
- "file_formats": File format types (fastq, bam, bed, bigWig, etc.)
- "output_types": Output data types (reads, peaks, signal, etc.)
- "output_categories": Output categories (raw data, alignment, signal, etc.)
- "assemblies": Genome assemblies (GRCh38, hg19, mm10, etc.)
- "life_stages": Life stages (embryonic, adult, child, etc.)
- "replication_types": Replication types (isogenic, anisogenic, unreplicated)
- "statuses": Experiment statuses (released, archived, etc.)
- "file_statuses": File statuses (released, archived, in progress, etc.)
Returns:
JSON list of valid values for the specified metadata type.
encode_batch_download
Search for files and download them all in batch.
First searches for files matching the criteria, then downloads them.
By default runs in dry_run mode to preview what would be downloaded.
Set dry_run=False to actually download.
WHEN TO USE: Use for searching and downloading files in one step. Always use
dry_run=True first to preview. For specific file accessions, use encode_download_files.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_download_files, encode_search_files
Examples:
- Download all BED files from human pancreas ChIP-seq:
file_format="bed", assay_title="Histone ChIP-seq", organ="pancreas",
download_dir="/data/encode", dry_run=False
- Preview FASTQ downloads for mouse brain RNA-seq:
file_format="fastq", assay_title="total RNA-seq", organ="brain",
organism="Mus musculus", download_dir="/data/encode"
- Download IDR peaks for H3K27me3 in GRCh38:
output_type="IDR thresholded peaks", target="H3K27me3", assembly="GRCh38",
download_dir="/data/encode", dry_run=False
Args:
download_dir: Local directory to save files
file_format: File format filter ("fastq", "bam", "bed", "bigWig", etc.)
output_type: Output type filter ("reads", "peaks", "signal", etc.)
output_category: Output category ("raw data", "alignment", "annotation", etc.)
assembly: Genome assembly ("GRCh38", "mm10", etc.)
assay_title: Assay type ("Histone ChIP-seq", "ATAC-seq", "total RNA-seq", etc.)
organism: Organism (default: "Homo sapiens")
organ: Organ/tissue ("pancreas", "brain", "liver", etc.)
biosample_type: Biosample type ("tissue", "cell line", "primary cell", etc.)
target: ChIP/CUT&RUN target ("H3K27me3", "CTCF", etc.)
preferred_default: If True, only download default/recommended files
organize_by: File organization ("flat", "experiment", "format", "experiment_format")
verify_md5: Verify downloads with MD5 checksums (default True)
limit: Max files to download (default 100, safety limit)
dry_run: If True (default), only preview what would be downloaded. Set False to download.
offset: Skip the first N matching files; pass the next_offset of the previous reply to
continue a search that has more files than limit
Returns:
JSON with download preview (dry_run=True) or download results (dry_run=False).
encode_manage_credentials
Manage ENCODE API credentials for accessing restricted/unreleased data.
Most ENCODE data is public and requires no authentication.
Credentials are only needed for unreleased or restricted datasets.
Credentials are stored securely in your OS keyring (macOS Keychain,
Linux Secret Service, Windows Credential Locker) and never in plaintext.
WHEN TO USE: Use only for accessing unreleased/restricted ENCODE data.
Public data requires no authentication.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_search_experiments
Args:
action: What to do:
- "store": Save new credentials (requires access_key and secret_key)
- "check": Check if credentials are configured
- "clear": Remove stored credentials
access_key: Your ENCODE access key (only for action="store")
secret_key: Your ENCODE secret key (only for action="store")
Returns:
JSON with action result.
encode_get_facets
Get live filter counts from ENCODE to discover what data is available.
Returns faceted counts showing how many experiments/files exist for each
filter value. Useful for exploring what's available before searching.
WHEN TO USE: Use to explore what data exists before searching. Shows counts
per filter value. Best first step for unknown datasets.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_get_metadata, encode_search_experiments
Examples:
- What assays are available for pancreas?
organ="pancreas"
- What organs have Histone ChIP-seq data?
assay_title="Histone ChIP-seq"
- What targets are available for mouse brain ChIP-seq?
assay_title="Histone ChIP-seq", organism="Mus musculus", organ="brain"
Args:
search_type: Object type ("Experiment" or "File")
assay_title: Pre-filter by assay type
organism: Pre-filter by organism
organ: Pre-filter by organ
biosample_type: Pre-filter by biosample type
Returns:
JSON with facet names and their term counts.
encode_get_file_info
Get detailed information about a specific ENCODE file.
WHEN TO USE: Use when you need detailed metadata for a specific file
(size, md5, assembly, biological replicate info).
RELATED TOOLS: encode_download_files, encode_list_files
Args:
accession: File accession ID (e.g., "ENCFF635JIA")
Returns:
JSON with file metadata including format, size, download URL, MD5, assembly, etc.
encode_track_experiment
Track an ENCODE experiment locally with its publications, methods, and pipeline info.
Fetches full experiment metadata from ENCODE and stores it in a local SQLite
database along with any associated publications (PMIDs, DOIs, authors, journal)
and pipeline/analysis information (software versions, methods).
This is like adding an experiment to your "library" - similar to Endnote for papers.
WHEN TO USE: Use to save an experiment to your local library with publications
and pipeline info. Required before compare or citations.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_compare_experiments, encode_get_citations, encode_export_data
Args:
accession: ENCODE experiment accession (e.g., "ENCSR133RZO")
fetch_publications: Also fetch and store publications/citations (default True)
fetch_pipelines: Also fetch and store pipeline/analysis info (default True)
notes: Optional notes to attach to this experiment
Returns:
JSON with tracking result including publications and pipeline info found.
encode_list_tracked
List all experiments you've tracked locally, with optional filters.
Shows your local library of tracked ENCODE experiments, their metadata,
publication counts, and derived file counts.
WHEN TO USE: Use to see all experiments in your local library. Filter by assay,
organism, or organ.
RELATED TOOLS: encode_summarize_collection, encode_export_data
Args:
assay_title: Filter by assay type (partial match)
organism: Filter by organism (partial match)
organ: Filter by organ (partial match)
Returns:
JSON with tracked experiments metadata table and tracker stats.
+8 more tools listed on main page
Medical Terminologies MCP Tools (33)
icd11_search
Search for medical conditions, diseases, and health problems in ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision).
Use this tool to:
- Find ICD-11 codes for diagnoses
- Search for diseases by name or keyword
- Look up conditions in multiple languages
Set `language` for WHO's official translations — e.g. `language: "pt"` searches and returns the official Portuguese (pt-BR) ICD-11 labels. Never machine-translated.
Returns matching entities with codes, titles, and relevance scores.
icd11_lookup
Get detailed information about a specific ICD-11 entity by code or URI.
Use this tool to:
- Get the full definition of a disease
- Retrieve coding notes and exclusions
- Get the official title and synonyms
Provide either an ICD-11 code (e.g., "BA00") or a full foundation URI. Set `language` for WHO's official translations (e.g. `language: "pt"` for official Portuguese).
icd11_hierarchy
Navigate the ICD-11 hierarchy to find parent or child entities.
Use this tool to:
- Find broader categories (parents) of a condition
- Find specific subtypes (children) of a condition
- Understand the classification structure
Name the entity by `code` (a leaf code like "5A11", or a block range like "5A10-5A2Y" — blocks come back from 'parents' with an empty code and a code_range) or by `uri` (the URI any previous answer returned). Direction 'parents' returns ancestor categories, 'children' returns subcategories. ICD-10 codes (like "E11") are not ICD-11 codes: convert them first with map_icd10_to_icd11.
icd11_chapters
List all ICD-11 chapters (top-level categories).
Use this tool to:
- Get an overview of ICD-11 structure
- Find which chapter covers a body system or condition type
- Navigate to specific disease categories
ICD-11 has 28 chapters covering all areas of medicine.
icd11_postcoordination
Get postcoordination information for an ICD-11 code.
Use this tool to:
- Find available axes for building composite codes
- Check required vs optional postcoordination
- Understand code extension possibilities
Postcoordination allows adding severity, laterality, anatomy, etc.
loinc_search
Search for laboratory tests, clinical observations, and measurements in LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes).
Use this tool to:
- Find LOINC codes for lab tests (e.g., "glucose", "hemoglobin")
- Search for clinical measurements and vital signs
- Look up diagnostic observations
Returns matching LOINC codes with names, components, and properties.
loinc_details
Get detailed information about a specific LOINC code.
Use this tool to:
- Get the full name and description of a LOINC code
- Find the component, property, timing, and system
- Check the scale type and method
Provide a LOINC number in format "XXXXX-X" (e.g., "2339-0" for Glucose).
loinc_answers
Get the list of valid answers for a LOINC questionnaire item.
Use this tool to:
- Find valid response options for survey questions
- Get answer codes for data entry validation
- Look up standardized answer lists
Only applicable to LOINC codes that represent questions with defined answer sets.
loinc_panels
Get the structure of a LOINC panel or form.
Use this tool to:
- See all tests included in a panel (e.g., CBC, metabolic panel)
- Get the structure of assessment forms
- Find related observations grouped together
Returns the list of LOINC codes that make up the panel.
rxnorm_search
Search for drugs in RxNorm (Normalized names for clinical drugs).
Use this tool to:
- Find drug concepts by brand or generic name
- Look up medications for prescribing
- Search for drug formulations
Returns matching drugs with RxCUI identifiers, names, and term types.
rxnorm_concept
Get detailed information about a specific RxNorm concept by RxCUI.
Use this tool to:
- Get the full name and synonyms for a drug
- Check the concept status (active, remapped, etc.)
- View related concepts (ingredients, brands, forms)
Provide an RxCUI (RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier) like "161".
rxnorm_ingredients
Get active ingredients for a drug by RxCUI.
Use this tool to:
- Find the active ingredients in a medication
- Check for single vs. multiple ingredient products
- Identify the generic components of brand drugs
Returns ingredient RxCUIs and names.