Editor's note: It is rare that a breakthrough study performed as a graduate student sets the course for the rest of a scientist's distinguished career. But Richard Jude Samulski's study in the early 1980s on an emerging viral vector-adeno-associated virus (AAV)-played a profound role in shaping the evolution of the gene therapy field. Samulski et al. stuck to their beliefs in the clinical potential of AAV, riding out some difficult times for the field to emerge emboldened. Until 2016, Samulski was the head of the Gene Therapy Center at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. In October 2020, the German big pharma Bayer agreed to acquire Samulski's company AskBio for an impressive $4 billion. Kevin Davies recently interviewed Samulski to learn about his early research career highlights, the launch and evolution of AskBio, and his hopes for the future of AAV therapy. (This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.).