From the time he was a baby till he was 20, Dr Noubar Afeyan shared a bedroom with his great-aunt Armenouhi, who was 70 years older. They were roommates in Lebanon where he was born, then in Canada, when the family migrated there.

       Most children would not have been too pleased to be bunking with an elderly relative, but he did not mind.

       Already a subscriber? Log in

       Read the full story and more at $9.90/month Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

       ST One Digital $9.90 $9.90/month No contract

       ST app access on 1 mobile device

       Subscribe now

       Unlock these benefits

       All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

       Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

       E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

       Already a subscriber? Log in

       Unlock unlimited access to ST exclusive content, insights and analyses

       ST One Digital - Annual

       $9.90 $4.95 /month

       Get offer

       $59.40 for the first year and $118.80 per year thereafter.

       ST One Digital - Monthly

       29.90 $9.90 /month

       Subscribe today

       No lock-in contract

       Unlock more knowledge, unlock more benefits

       New feature: Stay up to date on important topics and follow your favourite writers with myST All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com Easy access any time via ST app on one mobile device

       Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

       Lunch with Sumiko Vaccines Covid-19

       Facebook Telegram More Whatsapp Linkedin Twitter FB Messenger Email Print Purchase Article Copy permalink https://str.sg/bBr8

       Read this subscriber-only article for free!

       Just sign up for a free account and log in to continue reading.

       Moderna co-founder Noubar Afeyan on how his immigrant roots have shaped his life

       Sign up

       Already have an account? Log in.

       All done! This article is now fully available for you

       Moderna co-founder Noubar Afeyan on how his immigrant roots have shaped his life

       Read now

       Please verify your e-mail to read this subscriber-only article in full

       Moderna co-founder Noubar Afeyan on how his immigrant roots have shaped his life

       Resend verification e-mail

       The gift link for this subscriber-only article has expired.

       Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month for the first 3 months.

       Subscribe now

       You have reached your limit of subscriber-only articles this month.

       Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month for the first 3 months.

       Subscribe now

       Read and win!

       Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards

       Let's go! Terms & conditions apply

       Frequently asked questions

       Good job, you've read 3 articles today!

       Spin the wheel now

       Let's go! Terms & conditions apply

       Frequently asked questions