Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and compositions related to Natural Killer T cells that are engineered to harbor an expression construct that encodes an activator of the Wnt signaling pathway. Activation by expression of Wnt signaling activators or the addition of exogenous activators promotes NKT expansion over the course of multiple tumor cell challenges and improves long term tumor control in vitro. The present disclosure further includes NKT cells, populations, and methods to prepare them, that are engineered to express exogenous activators of Wnt signaling combined with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) for therapeutic use.