Prof. Dr. Ş. Gündüz was born on December 25, 1949, in Samsun, Turkey. He completed his primary and secondary education in Ordu and high school in Trabzon. He graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine in 1975. He worked as an intern doctor for one year at Gülhane Military Medical Academy. Between 1976 and 1979, he served as a Battalion Physician at the 61st Regiment in Çorlu. From 1979 to 1982, he completed his specialty training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Gülhane Military Medical Academy, where he also worked as an Assistant Chief Physician. In 1984, he became an Assistant Professor and participated in a TÜBİTAK summer school focused on biological and physiological foundations the same year.

Between 1985 and 1987, he conducted research on Spinal Bifida and Spinal Cord Injury (Paraplegia – Tetraplegia) Rehabilitation at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Long Moor Hospital in England. In 1989, he earned the title of Associate Professor and served as a faculty member at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at GATA (Gülhane Military Medical Academy).

In 1995, he was promoted to full Professor in the same department. In 2000, he was appointed Chief Physician of the newly established Turkish Armed Forces Rehabilitation and Care Center, where he organized the medical structure and initiated operations. He retired in late 2004 and since then has worked in various private health institutions.

Prof. Dr. Ş. Gündüz has more than 15 international publications and numerous articles in Turkish medical journals. He has authored many book chapters. He served on the editorial board of the Spinal Cord journal and reviewed many articles prior to publication. He pioneered many applications in spinal cord rehabilitation in Turkey.