• UNIFIED
  • MAPPED
  • VALIDATED
  • HUMAN

How to convert biomedical identifiers with your AI

Connect PMC Open Access to your AI client once. From there, you can translate between different research ID formats instantly.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I swap PMIDs, PMCIDs, and DOIs?

Your AI uses the PMC Open Access MCP to translate between these specific identifiers. You'll get a clean, mapped set of IDs for your research. Here is how it works.

The results you get.

Where your data lands.

The AI handles the ID mapping so your research lists stay consistent.

UNIFIED

Consistent ID sets

The AI uses convert_ids to map different identifier types. You get a single, uniform list of IDs for every paper.

MAPPED

Cross-referenced lists

The agent links PMIDs to their corresponding DOIs or PMCIDs. This makes it easy to join different research databases.

VALIDATED

Verified identifiers

The AI checks the IDs against PMC Open Access. You get certainty that the identifiers point to real research.

HUMAN

Final selection

The AI provides the converted options, but you decide which format to keep for your work.

The workflow

What your AI does when identifiers arrive.

The AI acts as a bridge between different indexing systems.

  1. Identify source IDs

    Your AI reads the list of identifiers you provide and recognizes which ones are PMIDs, PMCIDs, or DOIs.

    convert_ids

  2. Query PMC records

    The agent looks up the research records in PMC Open Access to find the matching identifiers.

    convert_ids

  3. Translate identifiers

    The AI swaps the original IDs for the new ones you requested.

    convert_ids

  4. Organize output

    The agent formats the new identifiers into a list or table for you to use.

    convert_ids

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger the conversion immediately.

Starting points

Replace the bracketed text with your actual list of IDs.

PMC (PubMed Central) Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_DDt7jrWPN4OV7Yr6vNnYOOd9TIiNnr8Hz68SHCAw/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — PMC (PubMed Central) capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pmc-open-access-pubmed-central-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_DDt7jrWPN4OV7Yr6vNnYOOd9TIiNnr8Hz68SHCAw/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Convert this list of PMIDs into DOIs: [paste PMIDs here]

  • Find the PMCIDs for these DOIs: [paste DOIs here]

  • Take these PMCIDs and give me their corresponding PMIDs.

  • I have a list of DOIs. Can you find the PMIDs for all of them?

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect PMC Open Access once, then ask.

One click connects the MCP to your client. Your login stays encrypted on our side.

Connect PMC Open Access to your AI

FAQ

How the conversion behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI change the actual papers in PubMed?

    No. The AI only reads and translates identifiers. It cannot edit or delete any data in the PubMed database.

  • 02

    Will the AI save these IDs to my local files?

    No. The AI provides the converted IDs in your chat interface. You have to copy them to your own files yourself.

  • 03

    Does it work with any identifier?

    It works with PMIDs, PMCIDs, and DOIs. It cannot convert other types of research IDs that aren't part of the PMC system.

  • 04

    Can I upload a CSV for conversion?

    Yes, if your AI client supports file uploads, you can provide a list and ask the agent to process it.

  • 05

    What happens if an ID is invalid?

    The AI will tell you if it can't find a match for a specific identifier in the PMC Open Access records.

  • More questions about PMC Open Access? The Connector page answers them. See everything the PMC Open Access Connector can do

Connect PMC (PubMed Central) to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more