# BioModels Models Scraper (`parseforge/biomodels-models-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes BioModels model records by search query and returns each model as a flat row with ID, name, URL, format, submitter, and submission date. Export as JSON, CSV, or Excel.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/biomodels-models-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Integrations, Education
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 90.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $7.50 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### BioModels Models Scraper

**Scrape BioModels model records by keyword, up to a million per run.** Every record comes with its ID, name, URL, format, submitter, and submission date. No API key or registration. Export to JSON, CSV, Excel, or XML.

BioModels is a repository of curated mathematical models of biological systems, but browsing it manually or writing custom scripts takes time. This Actor searches the public BioModels database by keyword and returns each matching model record in a flat, structured row. You get the model ID, name, URL, format, submitter, and submission date for every result, ready for analysis.

| Who uses it | What they scrape BioModels for |
|---|---|
| Bioinformatics researchers | Gathering a list of published models for a specific disease or pathway. |
| Systems biology modelers | Finding reusable SBML or CellML models by topic before building their own. |
| Data curators | Auditing model metadata across a domain for completeness and consistency. |
| Academic groups | Building a searchable internal catalog of models relevant to their lab's focus. |

### What it does

This Actor searches BioModels by keyword and returns each matching model record as a flat row with its ID, name, URL, format, submitter, and submission date.

- 🔍 **Keyword search:** feed the Actor any biological term, gene name, or disease and it returns every matching model record.
- 📊 **Structured output:** each row is a flat record with model ID, name, URL, format, submitter, and submission date, consistent across runs.
- 📈 **Scalable collection:** set a maximum from 1 to 1,000,000 models per run to control scope and cost.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with BioModels data

**🧬 Map models for a disease area.**

A bioinformatician searches 'cancer' and collects every curated model to identify which pathways and species are most represented.

**📋 Audit model metadata.**

A data curator runs a keyword for a pathway of interest and exports the submitter and submission date fields to check for outdated or unmaintained entries.

**🔁 Feed a modeling pipeline.**

A systems biologist scrapes all models tagged with a specific gene, then downloads the SBML files from the URLs for parameterization and simulation.

**📚 Build a lab knowledge base.**

A research group searches their organism of interest, collects the model list, and stores it as a shared CSV for new lab members.

### Why choose this scraper

| | What you get |
|---|---|
| **Consistent schema** | Every model record arrives with the same fields, so your analysis script never breaks. |
| **No API key** | Reads the public search interface directly, no registration or token management. |
| **Bulk export** | Save results as JSON, CSV, Excel, or XML for direct use in R, Python, or spreadsheets. |

### How it compares

This Actor and the original Biomodels Models Scraper collect the same core metadata fields from BioModels search results.

| Feature | ParseForge | Biomodels Models Scraper |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword search | Yes | Yes |
| Model ID field | Yes | Yes |
| Submitter field | Yes | Yes |
| Submission date field | Yes | Yes |
| Format field | Yes | Yes |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor with a single keyword or phrase, and set a maximum number of models to cap the run. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
 "query": "cancer",
 "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
 "query": "cancer",
 "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.0085 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.85 |
| 1,000 results | $8.50 |
| 10,000 results | $85.00 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [BioModels Models Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/biomodels-models-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to BioModels through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/biomodels-models-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Check your query spelling. Try a broader term or a known model ID. If the BioModels website returns no results for that term, the Actor will also return nothing.

**The run stopped before reaching my maxItems limit.**

The Actor stops when BioModels has no more results for your query. Your keyword may have fewer matching models than the limit you set.

**Some fields are empty in my output.**

BioModels records do not always have every field populated. If a model lacks a submitter or format, that cell will be blank in your dataset.

**The run is taking a long time.**

Large maxItems values mean more requests. Reduce the maximum models per run, or run the Actor on an Apify plan with higher memory if you need speed.

**I got an error during the run.**

Check the run log for details. Temporary issues with the BioModels website can cause failures. Retry the run after a few minutes.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need an API key or account to scrape BioModels? | No. This Actor reads the public BioModels search interface directly, so no registration, API key, or authentication is required. |
| What fields does each model record contain? | Each row includes the model ID, name, URL, format, submitter, and submission date. The exact field list is shown in the sample output on this page. |
| Can I scrape all models on BioModels? | You can search by keyword. To collect a large portion of the database, use a broad or empty query and set a high maxItems value. |
| What export formats are supported? | You can export your dataset as JSON, CSV, Excel, or XML from the Apify platform. |
| How many models can I collect in one run? | You set the maximum, from 1 up to 1,000,000 models per run. The Actor stops when it reaches your limit or when no more results match. |
| Does this Actor download the model files themselves? | No, it collects the metadata records. Each record includes the model's URL, which you can use to download the SBML or other format file separately. |
| Can I search by model ID instead of keyword? | Yes. Enter the model ID as your query string and the Actor will return that model's record if it exists. |
| Is this Actor affiliated with BioModels or EMBL-EBI? | No. This is an independent scraper that reads publicly available data from the BioModels website. |
| How do I run this on a schedule? | After publishing the Actor, you can set up a scheduled run in Apify to collect new or updated models at a regular interval. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by EMBL-EBI. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

Search query.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many models to collect per run.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "query": "cancer",
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "query": "cancer",
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/biomodels-models-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "query": "cancer",
    "maxItems": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/biomodels-models-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "query": "cancer",
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/biomodels-models-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/biomodels-models-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/QcAo88X4C1qeAEVW3/builds/IivB6BvR2W9rJAxSK/openapi.json