Fares was born in Spain and raised in Beirut, the eldest of four siblings of neurosurgeon Youssef Fares and architect-psychologist Aida Hoteit.[10] He credits his upbringing for his thirst for knowledge and medical discovery.[10] Fares earned a B.S. degree in Biology from the American University of Beirut, where he also attended medical school to acquire his M.D. degree.