From Rural Roots to White Coat

When Levi Arnold, PhD, walked into the lab of Sufi Thomas, PhD, in 2015, he was a recent college graduate from Fort Scott, Kansas, eager to strengthen his resume for medical school. He could not have imagined that this volunteer opportunity would lead him through a master’s degree in cancer biology, a PhD, postdoctoral research and, in August 2025, the start of medical school. His journey demonstrates The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s role in developing the next generation of cancer researchers and care providers. 

“I volunteered in Dr. Thomas’ lab for a year, then she helped me get into the master’s program,” says Dr. Arnold. “That was a real blessing because I’m not sure how competitive I would have been without her support.” 

That support didn’t stop there. When the opportunity came to pursue a PhD, Dr. Thomas encouraged him to take it, leading him to conduct research studying how to stop tumors from spreading. However, Dr. Arnold’s career trajectory shifted during the pandemic. In 2020, his father contracted COVID-19 and spent weeks in the ICU. His father recovered, and the experience solidified Dr. Arnold’s desire to work directly with patients. He decided to complete his PhD and then apply to medical school. 

“Research helps patients in the future,” Dr. Arnold says. “But I want to help patients today.” 

In February 2025, Dr. Arnold learned he had been accepted to the University of Kansas School of Medicine, the only school to which he applied. “If Harvard or Johns Hopkins had accepted me, I still would have chosen KU,” he says. “It was my top choice no matter what.” 

With deep ties to the institution and the state of Kansas, Dr. Arnold says the people he met in the lab stood out as particularly well-prepared and eager to become independent researchers. 

“They’re my people. That’s who I want to be around,” Dr. Arnold says. 

Cancer research training and education is a vital component of the cancer center’s National Cancer Institute comprehensive designation. From nurturing high school students’ interest in science to offering faculty professional development opportunities to providing mentorship support for trainees, the goal is to comprehensively train the cancer care and research workforce. 

Dr. Arnold’s own experience as both mentee and mentor illustrates how the cancer center’s commitment to education fosters a ripple effect of learning. During the pandemic, Dr. Arnold trained an undergraduate student remotely on a project. In 2025, that same student returned to Dr. Thomas’ lab as a postdoctoral researcher, showing how mentorship can have a lasting impact across generations. 

Dr. Thomas, who serves as associate director for Basic Science, says Dr. Arnold’s success reflects the cancer center’s culture of independence and mentorship. Mentorship is not a one-time investment but an ongoing commitment. Dr. Thomas often follows her trainees’ careers for years, celebrating their successes from afar. She still remembers spotting Dr. Arnold’s name on a classroom roster during his first week of medical school. 

“I take a lot of joy from their success,” she says. “They won’t even know it sometimes, but I’m always keeping track.” 

Ready for the Future 

As he begins medical school, Dr. Arnold is keeping an open mind about his specialty. Oncology is a natural fit given his research background and family history, but he believes his scientific training will support any field he enters. 

“Science is filled with failure,” Dr. Arnold says. “I’m not afraid of it anymore. The important thing is to keep moving. Patients are depending on us.”