Abstract: A method of identifying a compound that induces apoptosis in a cell is disclosed. The method includes contacting the cell with a putative apoptosis-inducing compound and determining whether the compound inhibits a target selected from the group consisting of APLP2, ENSA, FBN2, FIBL-6, PRNP, STRN4, XPR1, SLC5A6, SLC31A1, GFER, and PCTK1. Also disclosed are methods for inducing apoptosis in a cell by inhibiting one of the targets. The invention further includes methods for the diagnosis of a tumor that include determining the level of one of the targets as a marker in a patient sample, the level of the marker being indicative of the presence of tumor cells.