Introduction Invasive fungal infections (IFI) remain a major therapeutic challenge due to limited antifungal options, emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains and high mortality rates. This has turned up the development of immune-based therapies to restore and/or enhance anti-fungal immune responses into a clinical priority. This is in line with the recent demonstration that antifungal activity of primary (cord blood-derived) NK cells can be potentiated by endowing them with a CD5-based se