You may have heard about biotech company Moderna and its breakthrough efforts to find a cure for COVID-19, but you might not know that its founder has direct links to Malta.

Retired Harvard Professor and microbiologist Derrick Rossi, a Maltese immigrant, set up Moderna a decade ago. Now, it’s developed a promising vaccine that seems to be 94.5% effective against the virus behind the pandemic.

According to the National Post, Rossi’s mother Agnes owned a piece of a Maltese bakery, while his father worked in an auto body shop. The family moved to Canada to raise five kids, Rossi included, who shed his blue-collar roots for a career in white lab coats – running a 12-person lab in Harvard and launching four biotech firms.

.@UofTMedicine alum Derrick Rossi ‘proud’ to play role in promising Moderna #COVID19 vaccine 💙 https://t.co/K8oJyEXGY0 pic.twitter.com/lEEqPxi03y

— University of Toronto (@UofT) November 17, 2020

He is described as “the baby” of the Maltese clan and a super-keen student – which comes to no surprise considering his super impressive resume.

And while Rossi no longer holds a position in Moderna, he’ll definitely be reaping some of the benefits of the successful COVID-19 vaccine, as he owns large chunks of its shares.

Following the impressive clinal trial results, the EU announced it secured 160 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine, so we could be benefitting from a cure that links to our islands. How cool is that!

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