The present invention is directed to methods for identifying compounds that modulate apoptosis, directly or indirectly, as measured by changes in expression of the bbc3 gene or a reporter gene, or by changes in the apoptotic character of a cell. The present invention is also directed to methods for identifying compounds that modulate expression of the bbc3 gene and a method for identifying compounds that interact with a promoter of the bbc3 gene. The present invention is further directed to a method for modulating apoptosis in a cell, a method for modulating bbc3 gene expression in a cell, a process for making a modulator of apoptosis, and a process for making a modulator of bbc3 gene expression. Finally, the present invention is directed to compounds identified by each of the methods of this invention, and to promoters of the bbc3 gene and sequences homologous thereto.