Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors have earned more FDA approvals for in vivo gene therapies than any other viral vector and are a powerhouse laboratory tool for gene expression across biological and biomedical research. Despite more than 50 years of research, we still lack a sufficient mechanistic understanding of how AAV interacts with host cells to overcome key barriers to safe and accessible clinical use. In this talk, I will share new insights into AAV biology through the lens of the host cell, including mechanisms of capsid assembly and cellular processing of delivered DNA, and how we hope to leverage these processes for therapeutic advantage.