We have previously validated this system using knockdown of lin-3/EGF (required in mesoderm) and lin-39/Hox (required in VPCs), and used this system to identify genes that, when knocked down, behave in a tumor-suppressor-like manner and enhance VPC proliferation in mutants lacking gap-1 (Liu et al. 2017). This evidence concerns the gene EGF and neoplasm.