The overall significance of Core B is that it will provide standardized and rigorous bioinformatics and computational modeling analyses of all the molecular changes that occur in thoracic aortic aneurysms. Such analyses will allow each of the projects to develop a mechanistic understanding of the molecular changes that occur and how these changes contribute to the progression towards dissection. We anticipate such integrated analyses will help us deconvolute how multiple chemical signals as well as physical forces interact to control functions in the cells of the vessel wall during disease origin and progression.