The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation is investing $2.3 million to support Stemina Biomarker Discovery‘s clinical study of biomarkers in the blood of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the foundation announced today.

According to a release, the funds will allow Stemina to enroll patients under conditions ideal for studying the patient’s innate metabolism.

“This (study) will increase our understanding of the individual metabolism of children with ASD because ASD is a complex and diverse disorder,” Stemina CEO Elizabeth Donley said in a statement.

The data collected has the potential to revolutionize the way children are diagnosed and treated based on the individual’s metabolism, Donley said.