About Daniel J Farrugia MD PhD FACS – Daniel J Farrugia MD PhD FACS – Liposuction, Fat Transfer, BBL in Chicago

Daniel J Farrugia MD PhD FACS

Surgeon & Medical Director

Doctor Profile

About Dr Daniel Farrugia

Dr. Farrugia is board certified by the American Board of Surgery.

Hailing from a European background, Dr. Farrugia was born and raised in Malta, Europe.

After obtaining his medical degree from the University of Malta, Dr. Farrugia was accepted into the renowned Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Minnesota where he completed an internship in general surgery and received a Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences. Dr. Farrugia fulfilled his surgical residency at the University of Florida College of Medicine followed by a subspecialty fellowship in Breast Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Farrugia was inducted as a fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons (FACS). He is a fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, and a member of the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association and the Illinois State Medical Society.

What Our Patients Say

Dr Farrugia is a dream to work with. He really listens to what you want to achieve and what your goals are. He never tried to upsell me once. He let me ask ALOT of questions and never did I feel like he was getting frustrated or annoyed with me. I definitely felt like he cared about my wants and I wasn’t just another surgery. I would recommend him to anyone who is considering any type of surgery and he’ll be the only dr I go to!!

@Dr.Snatched definitely lives up to his name! The moment I met Dr. Farrugia there was an instant connection. He was very open and honest about expectations in regards to my results. He never sold me on doing more work than what I needed (this boosted my self esteem). The procedure was painless and recovery time was a breeze. He truly has magical hands. My experience was nothing short than wonderful and my results are stunning. I will never need another doctor again.

Dr. Farrugia did my full abdomen, arms, bra roll, inner and outer thighs, and under my chin. He is an ARTIST. I’m 4 months post-op and the results are stunning. There are many surgeons out there to choose from but there is a difference between a doctor who is technically proficient at their craft and one who truly understands a woman’s body and can sculpt it accordingly. Dr. Farrugia is as much of an artist as he is a surgeon (he’s also done literally thousands of these procedures). He is worth every cent. Invest in yourself and see Dr. Farrugia - he is the absolute best.

Great experience! My body looks amazing. Honestly looking at before and after pics, I was shocked at how I use to look and how much fat was taken out. I feel more confident than ever. The procedure was painless, and similarly to the healing process, everything was smooth. The place was clean and the nurses took great care of me too. Thanks again Dr. Farrugia!

I was so pleased with Dr. Farrugia. He clearly cares about getting the best results for his clients, his attention to detail, professionalism, and humor make the whole process easy! I felt comfortable and very confident I was going to get the results I wanted from the first appointment!

Let me first state that if you plan to do plastic surgery, you must do your research! I did mine and I landed on Dr. Farrugia! And let me say he knows what he’s doing! I had abdominal lipo, and a BBL. Dr. Farrugia has my body SNATCHED! He’s not only a great doctor but he has amazing bedside manners and easy to talk to! If I had to do it all over again, I would choose him. Thank you for your wonderful work!

Dr. Farrugia performed two procedures on me. He was very professional, and calmly explained everything he would do and any recommendations. I immediately felt like it was going to be okay. During the procedure he walked me thru every step. Months later, it was evident he did an amazing job! I couldn’t be happier with my results! He also gave me his phone number after each procedure in case you need to contact him. He was very responsive thru text - do not be afraid to ask him questions after the procedure. Thank you Dr. Farrugia!

Dr. Farrugia is a deeply caring surgeon who listens carefully to his patients and is dedicated to delivering outstanding surgery results. Above all, he is committed to providing safe and appropriate care to his patients and continuously strives to maintain up-to-date techniques and the latest innovations through continuing surgical education.

Dr. Farrugia has performed several thousands of body contouring procedures and transformed the lives of that many patients. He has mastered the art and science of awake body contouring procedures including liposuction and fat transfer procedures such as Brazilian butt lift (BBL) and fat transfer to the breast. Prior to opening his own practice using the latest technology for body contouring, he was the main surgeon in the Chicago office of both Aesthetic Physicians PC and Elite Body Sculpture, later known as AirSculpt, where he was asked to train many plastic surgeons in the art of awake body contouring. Dr Farrugia hopes that his legacy will be the hearts and minds of the people he touched with his skill.

In his free time, Dr. Farrugia enjoys traveling off the beaten path, attending live music venues and discovering hole in the wall restaurants.

Research & Awards

Dr. Farrugia is the author of numerous articles of original research in peer-reviewed international journals which have been subsequently cited by over 1,600 biomedical research teams in their work. He has also presented over 27 works at various regional and international conferences.

Dr. Farrugia received numerous competitive awards throughout his career including a prestigious research fellowship award by the United States Department of Defense, a Merit Award by the Conquer Cancer Foundation, two travel scholarship awards by the Society of Vascular Surgery and American Association for Cancer Research, and an Outstanding Academic Achievement Award by the Department of Surgery at the University of Florida.

"We listen. If it matters to you, it matters to us."

Dr. Daniel Farrugia @Dr.Snatched

Consultation Overview

Dr Farrugia's Research

Publications

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL JOURNALS

Brian J Gebhardt, MD; Joel Thomas, BA; Zachary D Horne, MD; Colin E Champ, MD; Daniel J Farrugia, MD, PhD; Emilia Diego, MD; Gretchen M Ahrendt, MD; Sushil Beriwal MD. Is Completion Axillary Lymph Node Dissection Necessary in Patients Underrepresented in ACOSOG Z0011 Trial? Adv Radiat Oncol. 2018 Apr 24;3(3):258-264

Landmann A, Daniel J Farrugia, Zhu L, Diego EJ, Johnson RR, Soran A, Dabbs DJ, Clark BZ, Puhalla SL, Jankowitz RC, Brufsky AM, Ahrendt GM, McAuliffe PF, Bhargava R. Low Estrogen Receptor (ER)-Positive Breast Cancer and Neoadjuvant Systemic Chemotherapy: Is Response Similar to Typical ER-Positive or ER-Negative Disease? Am J Clin Pathol. 2018 May 8. doi: 10.1093

Clark BZ, Daniel J Farrugia, Landmann A, Diego EJ, Dabbs DJ, Puhalla SL, Jankowitz RC, Brufsky AM, Ahrendt GM, McAuliffe PF, Bhargava R. Prognostic Significance of Modified Residual Disease in Breast and Nodes (mRDBN) Algorithm After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer. Am J Clin Pathol. 2018 Mar 7;149(4):332-343

Daniel J Farrugia, Landmann A, Zhu L, Diego EJ, Johnson RR, Bonaventura M, Soran A, Dabbs DJ, Clark BZ, Puhalla SL, Jankowitz RC, Brufsky AM, Lembersky BC, Ahrendt GM, McAuliffe PF, Bhargava R. Magee Equation 3 predicts pathologic response to neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy in estrogen receptor positive, HER2 negative/equivocal breast tumors. Mod Pathol. 2017 Aug;30(8):1078-1085

Daniel J Farrugia, Fischer TD, Delitto D, Spiguel L, Shaw CM. Improved National Quality Database Breast Cancer Care Metrics Following Implementation of a Standardized Tumor Board Note Template. J. Oncol. Pract 2015 11:209-212

Walker LC, Whiley PJ, Couch FJ, Daniel J Farrugia, Healey S, Eccles DM, Lin F, Butler SA, Goff SA, Thompson BA, Lakhani SR, Da Silva LM; kConFab Investigators, Tavtigian SV, Goldgar DE, Brown MA, Spurdle AB. Detection of splicing aberrations caused by BRCA1 and BRCA2 sequence variants encoding missense substitutions: implications for prediction of pathogenicity. Human Mutation. 2010 Jun;31(6):E1484-505.

Daniel J Farrugia, Agarwal MK, Pankratz VS, Deffenbaugh AM, Pruss D, Frye C, Wadum L, Johnson K, Mentlick J, Tavtigian SV, Goldgar DE, Couch FJ. Functional assays for classification of BRCA2 variants of uncertain significance. Cancer Research. 2008 May 1;68(9):3523-31.

D’Assoro AB, Busby R, Acu ID, Quatraro C, Reinholz MM, Daniel J Farrugia, Schroeder MA, Allen C, Stivala F, Galanis E, Salisbury JL. Impaired p53 function leads to centrosome amplification, acquired ERalpha phenotypic heterogeneity and distant metastases in breast cancer MCF-7 xenografts. Oncogene. 2008 Feb 11

Sakai W, Swisher EM, Karlan BY, Agarwal MK, Higgins J, Friedman C, Villegas E, Jacquemont C, Daniel J Farrugia, Couch FJ, Urban N, Taniguchi T. Secondary mutations as a mechanism of cisplatin resistance in BRCA2-mutated cancers. Nature. 2008 Feb 28; 451 (7182): 1116-20

Lovelock P, Spurdle A, Mok M, Daniel J Farrugia, SR Lakhani, S Healey, S Arnold, D Buchanan, kConFab Investigators, FJ Couch, BR Henderson, DE Goldgar, SV Tavtigian, G Chenevix-Trench and M Brown. Identification of BRCA1 missense substitutions that confer partial functional activity: potential moderate risk variants? Breast Cancer Research. 2007 Nov 26;9(6):R82

Wu K, Hinson SR, Ohashi A, Daniel J Farrugia, Wendt P, Tavtigian SV, Deffenbaugh A, Goldgar D, Couch FJ. Functional evaluation and cancer risk assessment of BRCA2 unclassified variants. Cancer Research. 2005, Jan; 65(2):417-26.

Taniai M, Grambihler A, Higuchi H, Werneburg N, Bronk SF, Daniel J Farrugia, Kaufmann SH, Gores GJ. Mcl-1 mediates tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand resistance in human cholangiocarcinoma cells. Cancer Research. 2004, May; 64(10):3517-24.

D’Assoro AB, Busby R, Suino K, Delva E, Almodovar-Mercado GJ, Johnson H, Folk C, Daniel J Farrugia, Vasile V, Stivala F, Salisbury JL. Genotoxic stress leads to centrosome amplification in breast cancer cell lines that have an inactive G1/S cell cycle checkpoint. Oncogene. 2004, May; 23(23):4068-75.

PH.D. THESIS – INHERITED BREAST CANCER

Daniel J Farrugia . Ph.D. Thesis. Influence of inherited missense mutations on BRCA2 function. Functional studies of the DNA-binding domain of BRCA2 (Dec 2007) Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota

ORAL PRESENTATIONS & INVITED LECTURES

Daniel J Farrugia (October 2006) BRCA2 and Centrosome Dynamics: Centrosome amplification and aberrant function in response to disruption of BRCA2. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Symposium; Rochester, MN.

Daniel J Farrugia, Walsh MF, Boughey JC. (October 2008) Severe Radiation Changes after Lumpectomy and Radiation for Breast Cancer Requiring Mastectomy with Flap Coverage. Minnesota Surgical Society 2008 Fall Meeting; Alexandria, MN.

Daniel J Farrugia (Sep 10, 2015) Lecture on Breast Cancer to Surgical Oncology Fellows. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Daniel J Farrugia (December 2015) Role of Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy in Breast Cancer. Society of Surgical Oncology Breast Fellowship Webinar.

Daniel J Farrugia (April 2016) Functional Classification of Variants of Uncertain Significance in Breast Cancer Predisposition Genes in an Era of Personalized Medicine: Opportunities and Challenges. Invited lecture from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami.

Daniel J Farrugia (October 2016) Breast Surgery. Invited lecture at Centegra Physician Care 2016 Combined Provider Forum. Huntley, IL.

Daniel J Farrugia (February 2017) The evolving personalized medicine approach to breast cancer. Invited lecture at Health Strong Woman Event Lunch and Learn. Crystal Lake, IL.

Daniel J Farrugia (October 2017) Breast Cancer. Radio Interview on 105.5 FM Woodstock, IL.

Daniel J Farrugia (May 2018) A Lymphedema Management Program for Tomorrow. 1 hour CME Lecture for Lymphedema Therapists, Centegra Sage Cancer Center, McHenry, IL.

Daniel J Farrugia (May 2018) The Breast Cancer Answers You Need. Centegra Health Bridge, Crystal Lake, IL.

Daniel J Farrugia (July 2018) Why do Women Get Breast Cancer. 1 hour CME Lecture for Mammography Technologists, Centegra Gavers Breast Center, Crystal Lake, IL.

SCIENTIFIC ABSTRACTS

Farrugia DJ and Couch FJ. (October 2005) Evaluation of BRCA2 missense mutations in the DNA-binding domain of BRCA2. Mayo Clinic Symposium; Rochester, MN.

Farrugia DJ, Ohashi A, Agarwal MK, and Couch FJ. (July 2006) Cancer Risk Assessment and Functional Evaluation of Inherited BRCA2 Missense Mutations. American Association for Cancer Research Pathobiology of Cancer Meeting; Snowmass, CO.

Farrugia DJ, Goldgar DE, Tavtigian SV, Wadum L, Johnson K, Mentlick J, Lindor N, and Couch FJ. (June 2008) Clinical Classification of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Variants of Uncertain Significance. Department of Defense Era of Hope Breast Cancer Research Program Meeting, Baltimore, MD

Farrugia DJ, Walsh MF, Boughey JC. (October 2008) Severe Radiation Changes after Lumpectomy and Radiation for Breast Cancer Requiring Mastectomy with Flap Coverage. Balfour Surgical Symposium, Mayo Clinic; Rochester, MN.

Farrugia DJ, Goldgar DE, Tavtigian SV, Wadum L, Johnson K, Mentlick J, Lindor N, and Couch FJ. (October 2008) Evaluation of Cancer Causality of BRCA2 Variants of Uncertain Significance. Balfour Surgical Symposium, Mayo Clinic; Rochester, MN.

Farrugia DJ, Diego EJ, Soran A, McAuliffe PF, Landmann A, Bonaventura M, Johnson RR, Ahrendt GM. (November 2015) Institutional Experience of Applying ACOSOG Z0011 Criteria to Breast Cancer Patients Under-Represented in the Z0011 Trial. Women’s Cancer Research Center Retreat, Nemacolin, PA.

Farrugia DJ, Diego EJ, Soran A, McAuliffe PF, Landmann A, Bonaventura M, Johnson RR, Ahrendt GM. Institutional Experience of Applying ACOSOG Z0011 Criteria to Breast Cancer Patients Under-Represented in the Z0011 Trial (ASBrS Annual Meeting in Dallas, April 2016)

Farrugia DJ, Landmann A, Diego EJ, McAuliffe PF, Johnson R, Bonaventura M, Soran A, Dabbs DJ, Puhalla S, Jankowitz R, Brufsky A, Lembersky B, Rastogi P, Davidson NE, Ahrendt GA, Bhargava R. Utilization of Magee Equation 3 in ER Positive, HER2 Negative/Equivocal tumors to Determine Pathologic Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy. (Department of Surgery Research Day, Pittsburgh, May 2016)

Farrugia DJ, Landmann A, Diego EJ, McAuliffe PF, Johnson R, Bonaventura M, Soran A, Dabbs DJ, Clark B, Puhalla S, Brufsky A, Jankowitz R, Lembersky B, Davidson NE, Ahrendt GA, Bhargava R. Mitotic Index Predicts Breast Cancer Recurrence after Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy. (ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago; Jun 2016)

Landmann A, Farrugia DJ, Diego EJ, Bonaventura M, Soran A, Bonaventura M, Johnson R, Dabbs DJ, Clark B, Puhalla S, Brufsky A, Davidson NE, Lembersky B, Jankowitz R, Puhalla S, Ahrendt GA, McAuliffe PF, Bhargava R. HER2 equivocal breast cancer and neoadjuvant therapy: Is response similar to HER2 positive or HER2 negative tumors? (ASCO annual meeting, Chicago, Jun 2016)

Landmann A, Farrugia DJ, Diego EJ, Bonaventura M, Soran A, Johnson R, Bonaventura M, Dabbs DJ, Clark B, Puhalla S, Brufsky A, Lembersky B, Jankowitz R, Puhalla S, Ahrendt GA, McAuliffe PF, Bhargava R. Low estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer and neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NAT): Is response similar to ER+ or to ER- disease? (ASCO annual meeting, Chicago, Jun 2016)

Farrugia DJ, Landmann A, McAuliffe PF, Diego EJ, Johnson R, Bonaventura M, Soran A, Dabbs DJ, Clark B, Lembersky B, Puhalla S, Brufsky A, Jankowitz R, Davidson NE, Ahrendt GA, Bhargava R. Prognostic significance of modified Residual Disease in Breast and Nodes (mRDBN) algorithm after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. (San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, San Antonio, Dec 2016)

Lee J, Diego EJ, Soran A, Farrugia DJ, Landmann, A, Bonaventura MB; Johnson R, McAuliffe PF, Ahrendt GM. Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Increases Breast Conservation Rates and Decreases Extent of Axillary Surgery in Patients with Estrogen Receptor Positive Breast Cancer. (submitted for Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Cancer Symposium, Seattle 2017)