Start
Set up your bio-research environment and explore available tools. Use when first getting oriented with the plugin, checking which literature, drug-discovery, or visualization MCP servers are connected, or surveying available analysis skills before starting a new project.
$ npx promptcreek add startAuto-detects your installed agents and installs the skill to each one.
What This Skill Does
This skill serves as an onboarding guide for the Bio-Research plugin, helping users understand its capabilities and available tools. It checks the connection status of various MCP servers and lists the analysis skills available within the plugin. It is designed to orient new users and provide a starting point for their research.
When to Use
- Introduce new users to the Bio-Research plugin.
- Check the connection status of MCP servers.
- List available literature and data sources.
- Survey available analysis skills within the plugin.
- Help users understand the plugin's capabilities.
- Provide a starting point for research tasks.
Key Features
Installation
$ npx promptcreek add startAuto-detects your installed agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, etc.) and installs the skill to each one.
View Full Skill Content
Bio-Research Start
> If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.
You are helping a biological researcher get oriented with the bio-research plugin. Walk through the following steps in order.
Step 1: Welcome
Display this welcome message:
Bio-Research Plugin
Your AI-powered research assistant for the life sciences. This plugin brings
together literature search, data analysis pipelines,
and scientific strategy — all in one place.
Step 2: Check Available MCP Servers
Test which MCP servers are connected by listing available tools. Group the results:
Literature & Data Sources:
- ~~literature database — biomedical literature search
- ~~literature database — preprint access (biology and medicine)
- ~~journal access — academic publications
- ~~data repository — collaborative research data (Sage Bionetworks)
Drug Discovery & Clinical:
- ~~chemical database — bioactive compound database
- ~~drug target database — drug target discovery platform
- ClinicalTrials.gov — clinical trial registry
- ~~clinical data platform — clinical trial site ranking and platform help
Visualization & AI:
- ~~scientific illustration — create scientific figures and diagrams
- ~~AI research platform — AI for biology (histopathology, drug discovery)
Report which servers are connected and which are not yet set up.
Step 3: Survey Available Skills
List the analysis skills available in this plugin:
| Skill | What It Does |
|-------|-------------|
| Single-Cell RNA QC | Quality control for scRNA-seq data with MAD-based filtering |
| scvi-tools | Deep learning for single-cell omics (scVI, scANVI, totalVI, PeakVI, etc.) |
| Nextflow Pipelines | Run nf-core pipelines (RNA-seq, WGS/WES, ATAC-seq) |
| Instrument Data Converter | Convert lab instrument output to Allotrope ASM format |
| Scientific Problem Selection | Systematic framework for choosing research problems |
Step 4: Optional Setup — Binary MCP Servers
Mention that two additional MCP servers are available as separate installations:
- ~~genomics platform — Access cloud analysis data and workflows
Install: Download txg-node.mcpb from https://github.com/10XGenomics/txg-mcp/releases
- ~~tool database (Harvard MIMS) — AI tools for scientific discovery
Install: Download tooluniverse.mcpb from https://github.com/mims-harvard/ToolUniverse/releases
These require downloading binary files and are optional.
Step 5: Ask How to Help
Ask the researcher what they're working on today. Suggest starting points based on common workflows:
- Literature review — "Search ~~literature database for recent papers on [topic]"
- Analyze sequencing data — "Run QC on my single-cell data" or "Set up an RNA-seq pipeline"
- Drug discovery — "Search ~~chemical database for compounds targeting [protein]" or "Find drug targets for [disease]"
- Data standardization — "Convert my instrument data to Allotrope format"
- Research strategy — "Help me evaluate a new project idea"
Wait for the user's response and guide them to the appropriate tools and skills.
Supported Agents
Attribution
Details
- License
- MIT
- Source
- admin
- Published
- 3/18/2026
Tags
Related Skills
Nextflow Development
Run nf-core bioinformatics pipelines (rnaseq, sarek, atacseq) on sequencing data. Use when analyzing RNA-seq, WGS/WES, or ATAC-seq data—either local FASTQs or public datasets from GEO/SRA. Triggers on nf-core, Nextflow, FASTQ analysis, variant calling, gene expression, differential expression, GEO reanalysis, GSE/GSM/SRR accessions, or samplesheet creation.
Scientific Problem Selection
This skill should be used when scientists need help with research problem selection, project ideation, troubleshooting stuck projects, or strategic scientific decisions. Use this skill when users ask to pitch a new research idea, work through a project problem, evaluate project risks, plan research strategy, navigate decision trees, or get help choosing what scientific problem to work on. Typical requests include "I have an idea for a project", "I'm stuck on my research", "help me evaluate this project", "what should I work on", or "I need strategic advice about my research".
Scvi Tools
Deep learning for single-cell analysis using scvi-tools. This skill should be used when users need (1) data integration and batch correction with scVI/scANVI, (2) ATAC-seq analysis with PeakVI, (3) CITE-seq multi-modal analysis with totalVI, (4) multiome RNA+ATAC analysis with MultiVI, (5) spatial transcriptomics deconvolution with DestVI, (6) label transfer and reference mapping with scANVI/scArches, (7) RNA velocity with veloVI, or (8) any deep learning-based single-cell method. Triggers include mentions of scVI, scANVI, totalVI, PeakVI, MultiVI, DestVI, veloVI, sysVI, scArches, variational autoencoder, VAE, batch correction, data integration, multi-modal, CITE-seq, multiome, reference mapping, latent space.