Officials with the University of Alaska Fairbanks say plans are under way for a new clinical research facility in Bethel.

UAF's Center for Alaska Native Health Research is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Kuskokwim campus in Bethel May 3.

Officials say finishing touches are being made to the 1,378-square-foot research space, which will have rooms for various functions including long-distance teleconferencing and nutritional data collection.

The Center for Alaska Native Health Research also will operate a mirror site at UAF.

According to officials, the National Institutes of Health provided a $7.5 million grant to create the two new facilities from existing space. The Fairbanks facility is slated to open soon.