Daniel Liu,

"The unique environment here facilitates a team approach to care," says Dr. Daniel Liu, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at City of Hope Chicago. "When everyone is united to achieve a common goal, the results can be extremely powerful."

Initially trained as a concert violinist, Dr. Liu attended Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, while playing professionally in the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. He then turned his focus to medicine. He says, "I wanted to make a more direct impact in people's lives."

Dr. Liu completed a bachelor's degree summa cum laude in chemistry in 2002 and earned a medical degree at Washington University in St. Louis in 2006 with induction to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. Dr. Liu then completed an internship and residency in plastic surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Dr. Liu has worked as a plastic surgeon at several large hospitals in Illinois. He joined City of Hope in August 2014.

Dr. Liu is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. A dedicated researcher, Dr. Liu has published several studies on various aspects of plastic surgery and serves as peer reviewer in eminent medical journals. He has presented his work at numerous national and international professional conferences, and has contributed chapters to textbooks on plastic surgery. As an educator, Dr. Liu has passionately spearheaded the use of social media to promote public education about breast reconstruction and plastic surgery.

At City of Hope, Dr. Liu combines cutting-edge technology with exceptionally compassionate care. He says, "Open communication and tailoring different treatment options for each individual patient are key to maintaining an excellent doctor-patient relationship." Dr. Liu specializes in all forms of breast reconstruction, including microsurgical tissue transfer, and offers surgical treatment options for upper- and lower-extremity lymphedema.

Outside of City of Hope, Dr. Liu enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters. He is an avid photographer and continues to practice the violin.