Mechanics regulates biological processes at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ and organism levels. Biomechanics has the goal to better explain phenomena in bioengineering, biology, chemistry and medicine, and hence to improve, for example, diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, medical devices and tissue engineering.

By means of examples we will show and discuss the importance of biomechanics in quantifying the mechanical environment within arterial walls in health, disease or injury. We also emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of such analysis embracing bioengineering, biology, chemistry and medicine, and the importance of connecting arterial mechanics with biological processes such as growth, remodeling, adaptation and repair. Without undue detail, we discuss important mechanobiological aspects for modeling arterial walls, allude to challenges in modeling pathologies such as atherosclerosis and aneurysms, and highlight the potential clinical impact of using patient-specific modeling.

In particular, computational (multi-scale) models may lead to better understanding of the function of arteries by synthesizing medical images, powerful computers, experimental data and mechanics; they may eventually allow doctors to use computers, together with a patient’s medical data, to generate and analyze “virtual arteries” and help identify the best treatment strategy, for example, to use an optimal stent for a particular patient’s lesion.