The Maine Medical Center Research Institute unveiled its newest

addition, a $12 million expansion that houses the

hospital’s first dedicated clinical research facility.

The 23,000-square-foot expansion at the Scarborough campus includes a patient-friendly entrance, examination and treatment rooms, a nutrition station and space for research coordinators and clinical investigators.

The expansion is part of MMCRI’s five-year plan to double the number of scientist investigators and add more clinical researchers.

The institute was recently awarded a $10 million grant from The National Institutes of Health for stem cell research.